SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. - In a tight defensive effort, the Mount Holyoke College soccer team played to a 1-1 double-overtime draw against Bay Path University on Thursday evening. The tie moves the homestanding Lyons to 3-4-1, while the visiting Wildcats are now 5-1-1 on the season.
Following a scoreless first half of action, it was Bay Path that got on the board first. In the 49th minute, the Wildcats played the ball close into the box. Junior midfielder Joanna Feliciano (Springfield, Mass./Renaissance) found the loose ball, ducked around an MHC defender and sent the ball in on net past Lyons keeper Amanda Manaster (Beverly Hills, Calif./Beverly Hills). Her shot richocheted off the right post, sailing to the left where it bounced off the inside net for the score.
Mount Holyoke, which outshot the Wildcats by a 9-2 margin in the second stanza, netted the equalizer in the 77th minute. Junior forward Hannah Finn-Erb (Northampton, Mass./Northampton) helped start the play, carrying the ball in from the midfield to just a few yards into the offensive zone. Crossing the ball, it landed on the foot of sophomore midfielder Chloe Bernier (Southborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional). She navigated to the far left, curving in several yards to send in a long shot from left to right that sailed into the lower corner.
Heading into the first overtime session, the Lyons came on strong late in the frame as senior midfielder Avia Jacobs (Calabasas, Calif./Sierra Canyon) and junior forward & captain Minerva Veeser-Bobea (Arlington, Mass./Arlington) pounded back-to-back shots on keeper Caitlyn Esposito (East Haven, Conn./East Haven). As the action moved into the second overtime, MHC continued to press with two fantastic shots on net and another set of big saves from Esposito. Bay Path had a solid attempt of its own as Feliciano sent a point-blank shot in on Lyons' goalie Maria-Lucia Delgado (Bronx, N.Y./Beacon School), but neither team would net the go-ahead.
Mount Holyoke held a 23-8 advantage in shots for the contest, as well as a 5-4 margin in corner kicks. In goal, Manaster made three saves over 58:08 of action before giving way to Delgado, who earned the decision with three saves through 51:52. For Bay Path, Esposito recorded 12 saves.
The Lyons return to action on Saturday when they travel to Springfield for a 3pm conference match against the Pride. Bay Path returns to the field on Saturday as well in an 11am tilt at New England College.
