LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Marist women's soccer team continued their winning ways as they earned their fourth straight victory in a double-overtime thriller at Bucknell by a score of 2-1. The Red Foxes (5-3-0) dominated the Bison (2-6-0) from the opening kickoff, but it took 107 minutes of action to finally get the team in the win column. Sophomore Rycke Guiney (Naperville, Ill.) scored the team's first goal and freshman Amanda Epstein (Jericho, N.Y.) netted the game-winner.
Marist wasted little time in making it know that they would be forcing their style off play on their opponent. In a four minute span of play from 1:52 to 5:49, the Red Foxes took six shots , two on goal and three that were blocked by Bucknell defenders. At 6:31 the team's persistence paid off as Guiney deposited a shot into the back of the net following a pass into the box by junior Jessica Arabia (Naperville, Ill.) for her second goal of the season.
The Red Fox offense was not done, as they kept the pressure on Bucknell's goalkeeper Sandita McDermott throughout the remainder of the first half. Guiney (two), Epstein and junior Chelsea Botta (East Longmeadow, Mass.) all put shots on goal during the opening 45 minutes. Senior Kathryn Hannis (Bloomsbury, N.J.) also had a quality scoring opportunity stymied as her shot in the 12th minute rattled off of the crossbar.
Bucknell stuck around and survived the Red Foxes' offensive onslaught eventually netting the game-tying goal in the 35th minute on their only shot of the first half. Brigit Falcon put a high shot over a leaping Caitlin Landsman (Burke, Va.) to equal the score at one.
At the end of the half, Marist had a 14-1 advantage in shots, with a 7-1 lead in shots on target.
In the second 45 minute period, the team's traded possessions and scoring opportunities during the first 16 minutes with each side registering four shots, three for Marist which were on target and stopped by McDermott.
Marist took back control of play during the remainder of the second half as they were able to get off nine shots, including six from 66:18 to 70:21. Freshman Marjana Maksuti (Delmar, N.Y.) was the leading threat as she took three attempts towards the net. The team's last quality scoring opportunity in regulation was a header attempt by freshman Jamie Strumwasser (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) that McDermott snagged at 84:53.
The game ended regulation tied at 1-1.
In the first overtime period of play, Bucknell attempted to sneak out the win with a quick shot on goal, their second of the game, in the 93rd minute that Landsman corralled without an issue. The Red Foxes' lone shot on goal during the 10 minute period was a booming kick by Landsman from near midfield.
The second overtime period had a much more familiar feel for the Red Foxes as they registered five shots with four on goal. The fourth shot on goal, a volley from Epstein off of a Samantha Panzner (Livingston, N.J.) corner kick broke the plane of the goal line for a dramatic walk-off Marist victory at 106:54. The goal was Epstein's fifth of the season and third game-winner.
For the game, Marist outshot Bucknell 34-8 with a 16-2 advantage in shots on goal.
Landsman recorded her fourth victory as she finished with one save. McDermott, the hard-luck loser stopped 14 of the 16 Marist shots on target.
The Red Foxes' next game will be on Sunday, Sept. 25 as they travel to West Point, N.Y. to take on Army in a 1 p.m. matchup.
