Dartmouth edges UMaine in 2OT

ORONO – The University of Maine women’s soccer team appeared headed for its fifth tie in its sixth consecutive overtime game Thursday.

Maine had a throw-in at midfield with a minute and a half left in the second overtime.

But Dartmouth College’s Myra Sack wound up with the ball and slipped it neatly across to the sprinting Becky Poskin, who ripped a rising 25-yard shot off the fingertips of goalkeeper Jasmine Phillips to give the Big Green a come-from-behind 2-1 triumph.

Dartmouth improved to 2-2 while Maine fell to 2-1-4.

Poskin’s goal off the quick right-flank counterattack came with 51 seconds remaining.

“Sometimes, that’s all it takes,” said Poskin, who missed all but two games last season due to knee surgery.

“I had a couple of those [shots] last weekend in the exact same situation and I missed them,” said Poskin referring to 2-1 losses to Maryland and No. 9 Virginia. “Myra Sack had a great assist. I expected her to win [the ball], so I ran in behind [a defender]. I just thought ‘get good contact’ and I aimed for the far post. It didn’t quite go there, but it went in.”

“There’s nothing I could have done about it, really,” said Phillips, who is hampered by hip and back ailments. “It’s hard when I’m backpedaling and trying to save a shot at the same time. It’s two different motions. I think I got a touch on it.”

York’s Hailey Blackburn had staked Maine to a 1-0 lead 37:54 into the game off a Cristina Di Ielsi corner. Carolyne Nellis skimmed a header across the goalmouth and Blackburn headed it over the left hand of Dartmouth goalie Laurel Peak.

The Big Green equalized with 23 seconds left in the half when Melisa Krnjaic’s corner glanced in off a Maine defender.

“It was jam-packed in there. It was hard to see,” said Phillips.

Maine, despite being without leading scorer Laura Martel (knee injury) and central midfielder Kelsey Wilson (hamstring injury), had the edge in play in a first-half performance Bear coach Scott Atherley considered their best of the season.

But Dartmouth took advantage of the wind in the second half and impressively kept the Bears pinned in their own end.

Despite Maine being outshot 17-0 in the second half, fullback Di Ielsi spearheaded an effective and gritty defensive performance that limited the Big Green’s high-percentage chances.

Phillips finished with eight saves on 27 shots, while Peak had one save on seven shots.

lmahoney@bangordailynews.net

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