GLENVILLE, W.Va. – In a game that was punctuated by the referee's whistle more often than was ideal, the IUP women's soccer team (5-4-1, 3-4-1 PSAC) showed impressive resolve to overturn a two goal deficit and  defeat the Salem Tigers in double overtime by a score of 3 to 2. Despite the match site being moved to the campus of Glenville State College due to last week's severe weather, the Tigers looked right at home at I.L. & Sue Morris Stadium, peppering the IUP goal with shots early and often en route to racking up tewelve shots in the first half to IUP's two efforts.
 
However, despite the Salem offense asking some serious questions of the Crimson Hawks defense, the IUP backline led by freshman goalkeeper Maria Tunney held firm throughout the half. In just her second start of the season, Tunney posted a career high 10 saves in the first period alone to help keep IUP on level footing going in to the half time break.
 
The second half began much as the first had ended, with the trigger-happy Tigers offense taking any opportunity given to them to threaten the IUP goal. However, unlike in the first half, the Salem pressure eventually paid dividends in the second period with Kiara Pennycooke opening the scoring in the 57^th minute.  That goal seemed to spark the IUP offense into life as minutes later the Crimson Hawks almost leveled the match when Kallie Conte sent a shot from a Mahogany Willis rebound just inches wide of the Salem goal.
 
The Tigers would then double their lead in the 64^th minute when a shot from Aliyah Armijo found the top corner of the IUP net leaving Tunney with no chance to save it. Faced with a two-goal deficit IUP was forced to throw caution into the wind, and they were rewarded for their exertions in the 68^th minute when Mahogany Willis' seventh goal of the season cut the deficit in half for the Crimson Hawks.
 
Willis' goal gave the Crimson Hawks hope and it would get even better 10 minutes later when Kallie Conte headed home a Nikki Bowman corner to level the score for IUP. The final minutes of regulation produced a series of chances for the Crimson Hawks, but despite going close on several occasions the third goal would not come, sending the two teams to extra time.
 
With neither side able to produce a winner in the first period of overtime it looked like the Crimson Hawks might be forced to settle for a draw, but with just seconds gone in the second period of extra time Hannah Stoof split the Tigers backline with a great pass to Willis who beat the Salem goal keeper to notch her second goal of the game and win the match for IUP.
 
Up next
The Crimson Hawks (5-4-1, 3-4-1 PSAC) will welcome Mansfield to town on homecoming weekend. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
 
Follow
For up-to-date game information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's soccer on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPsoccer.