PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Junior Shannon Desmond (Chandler, Ariz.) tallied her first goal of the year in 86th minute to send the game into overtime, however Rutgers' forward Ashley Jones netted her fifth goal of the year in the first overtime, 98th minute, to defeat the Pirates (3-4), 2-1, Friday evening at Yurcak Field.
Stefanee Pace, whose direct kick just outside the box in the 94th minute was saved by Pirates goalkeeper Jennifer Pettigrew (Kearny, N.J.), fed a crisp pass to Jones who used her speed to beat her defender and then Pettigrew into the bottom left corner of the net.
In regulation, just one minute after Pirates' senior Megan Mills (Sykesville, Md.) had a goal called back on a late foul whistle, Rutgers (6-1-1) took a, 1-0, lead in the 69th minute. Pettigrew and Rutgers' forward Karla Schacher chased a loosed ball towards each other. As Pettigrew slid to block the ball from going further towards the net, Schacher tipped the ball over the netminder and kicked it into the empty net for her second of the season.
The lead lasted until the 86th minute when Desmond netted her goal to tie the game. Junior Nicki Gross (Emerson, N.J.) drove her corner kick towards the scrum in the box finding Desmond who headed the ball over Scarlet Knights' goalkeeper Erin Guthrie's right shoulder.
The two teams battled to scoreless first half thanks to two top plays by freshman Taylor Mims (Miller Place, N.Y.). In the 19th minute, Rutgers Julie Lanos' corner kick found Jones in the box who headed the ball to the open area of the net, however Mims was standing on the line denying the Scarlet Knights the early lead. Just eight minutes later, Jones picked up a loose ball cutting to the left of the box when Mims caught up to her to make a diving block on her point blank shot.
Rutgers outshot the Hall 15-6 and finished the game in the lead with corner kicks 8-1 and fouls 11-9.
Pettigrew ended the game with five saves while Guthrie made one.
The Pirates continue their 2009 season when they return home to face Iona on Monday. Kick-off is set for 7:00 p.m. and will mark their final non-conference game of the year.
Courtesy: Seton Hall Athletic Communications