JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Saint Peter's scored the game-winning goal with 49 seconds remaining in the second overtime period to hand the Marist women's soccer team their first conference loss of the season Sunday afternoon in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) match.
Marist (12-6, 6-1 MAAC) controlled the tempo of the game, outshooting Saint Peter's (2-15, 1-6 MAAC) by a 32-14 margin for the game, including 18-5 in shots on goal. Rycke Guiney (Naperville, Ill.) led the offensive attack, nearly outshooting the Peacocks by herself, with 11 total shots, including seven on goal, one of which struck home early in the second half. Amanda Epstein (Jericho, N.Y.) also had seven shots. Caitlin Landsman (Burke, Va.) made three saves in goal for the Red Foxes.
Marist controlled the ball for much of the two overtime periods putting seven shots towards the Saint Peter's goal, including two by Guiney from sharp angles within the six-yard box that the Peacocks' keeper, Caitlin Hoffer, barely deflected away. After Hoffer made another save late in the second overtime session, she launched a punt that sailed over the Marist defense and sprang Emily Fenice into a 1-on-1 with Landsman. Landsman did all she could, but Fenice snuck a shot past her into the lower left corner for the win.
Despite a scoreless tie at halftime, Marist controlled possession for much of the first half. Guiney had the best scoring chances of the opening period, both coming off of long-distance free kicks. One her first attempt, from approximately 35 yards out, her initial shot had to be punched out of traffic by the Peacocks' goalkeeper. The ball found its way back to Guiney who put another shot back on net. The keeper again had to punch it out, with the rebound going straight to the foot of Jessica Arabia (Naperville, Ill.). Arabia seemed to stumble as she tried to one-time her shot, and it trickled weakly into the hands of the keeper.
Just a few minutes later, Guiney had another free kick and put the ball up into a swirling wind. The keeper just got her hands on the ball, tipping it off the crossbar and out to the edge of the six-yard box where Amanda Epstein's (Jericho, N.Y.) shot went just wide.
At the half, the Red Foxes were outshooting Saint Peter's 14-7, including an 8-3 margin in shots on goal.
Guiney continued to lead the offensive attack and it paid off just four minutes into the second half. She took a pass from Alysa Murphy (Douglasville, Pa.) and drilled a shot from 25 yards out that eluded the goalkeeper, going into the upper right corner to give Marist a 1-0 lead.
Marist continued to control the possession game, but Saint Peter's was able to cash in on a transition goal following a Red Foxes' corner kick to tie the score at 1-1 with 23 minutes left to play in the second half.
Through regulation, Marist was outshooting the Peacocks 25-9, including a 14-4 advantage in shots on goal.
The Red Foxes close out the regular season next weekend with two home matches versus Loyola (Md.) on Friday and Rider on Sunday afternoon. The team will celebrate their seniors in a pre-match Senior Day ceremony on Sunday.
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