SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Brianna Fee equalized in the 76
th minute and netted the game-winner less than three minutes into the first overtime in Sewanee's 2-1 double-OT victory over Rhodes in the championship match of the SAA Women's Soccer Tournament here Sunday at Puett Field.
With the victory the Tigers (13-1-4) earn the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Selection Show is set for 12:30 p.m. CT Monday. Sewanee ran its unbeaten streak to 17 matches dating to the season-opener September 1. It marks the first conference tournament title in program history as well.
Mary Gale Godwin put the Lynx (11-5-2) in front with a goal in the 34
th minute and Rhodes defended well enough for the first 25 minutes of the second half to keep the Tigers from any quality scoring chances. Sewanee continued to push forward and a free kick from near midfield started the sequence of events that led to the tying goal.
Ashlyn Richards took the free kick but it was cleared away by the Rhodes defense.
Kylene Monaghan tracked down the ball for the Tigers and played it back to
CeCe Cobb, who sent the ball back into the box near the middle. From there it was a footrace between Fee and Lynx goalkeeper Maggie Wakefield, who partially blocked the initial shot by Fee.
The ball bounced into the air and sideways. Fee regained her balance and beat Wakefield and another Rhodes defender to the bouncing ball and blasted it into the back of the net, sending the Sewanee bench and crowd into a frenzy with just under 15 minutes to play in regulation.
Neither team managed much in the way of offensive rhythm over the final 15 minutes and the teams headed to overtime, the second straight outing with extra time for Rhodes.
In the first overtime period, the Fee sisters hooked up for an incredible goal just 2:25 into the first 10-minute extra time.
Olivia Fee took a ball played back to her and sent it toward the box.
Brianna Fee came across from the right and blasted the left-footed shot from just inside the box, low and left past Wakefield and into the net, stunning the Lynx with the go-ahead score.
Rhodes pressed forward in the second overtime period and had one good chance. Sewanee was unable to clear a cross from the right and Taylor Theofiledes' challenged shot from 12 yards sailed high over the crossbar. The Lynx earned two corners in the closing minutes as well, with the Tigers blocking one shot and clearing. Rhodes unable to get off a shot on the second corner, which came in the final 15 seconds.
The Tigers got the first chance at a goal in the match with a shot by Monaghan in the sixth minute near the end line that was saved and after a turnover near the left sideline in the 29
th minute,
Samantha Ferry's left-footed blast from distance nearly fell under the crossbar but Wakefield punched the ball over the net.
Sewanee was unable to convert the ensuing corner kick and a turnover in the defensive end gave the Lynx their only good scoring chance of the half and they converted. Godwin picked up an errant clear and fired into the bottom right from the rightside of the top of the box in the 34
th minute for a 1-0 Rhodes edge.
Sewanee outshot the Lynx, 7-4, in the half and had the only two corner kicks in the first 45 minutes, but Wakefield collected four saves and the Tigers'
Leah Atkins posted two.
