Zips Women's Soccer Suffers Heartbreaking 2-1 Double OT Loss To Eastern Kentucky

Sunday, September 15

Akron, Ohio

1 PM

University of Akron

2-5-0, 0-0-0

Eastern Kentucky

2-6-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Eastern Kentucky	0	1	0	1	2
Akron	0	1	0	0	1

Zips Women's Soccer Suffers Heartbreaking 2-1 Double OT Loss To Eastern Kentucky

September 15 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Box Score | Box Score (PDF) | Video Highlights

AKRON, Ohio– In a game that seemed destined for a 1-1 draw between the Akron women's soccer team and Eastern Kentucky in double-overtime, the Colonels found gold with just 30 seconds remaining in the match for the golden goal game-winner to drop the Zips, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium.

After Eastern Kentucky claimed a 1-0 advantage at the 85:25 mark on a penalty kick, the Zips tied the game up at one less than two minutes later as EKU was called for a penalty in the box at the 87'. Senior Ashley Amato (Pittsburgh, Pa.) stepped to the line and buried the equalizer for her third goal of the campaign.

The contest was a back-and-forth battle between the Zips and Colonels in a match that saw 23 total shots including a game-high 12 shots by Akron and 11 shots by EKU.

Offensively for the Zips, four players tallied a multi-shot performance on the afternoon behind a team-high three shots by sophomore Carly Pcholinsky (South Park, Pa.) and freshman Lucia Lobato (Galway, Ireland). Sophomore Sydney Ward (Connellsville, Pa.) and sophomore Aislinn Meaney (Ennis, Ireland) combined to notch four shots while both of Ward's shots fell on frame. Amato and redshirt sophomore Charley Kale (Sylvania, Ohio) each registered on a shot.

In the net, freshman Libby Harper (Hatfield, England) made her fourth start for Akron and competed in a career-high 109 minutes between the posts while making a pair of saves for the Zips.

The first half between the Zips and Colonels was a battle of possession going back-and-forth up the field. Akron was busy inside the box when playing inside the offensive third. Lobato registered all three of her shots in the first half with results landing wide (2'), blocked by a defender (30'), and her final shot pulled in for a save (30').

Akron came close to striking first in the contest courtesy of Ward in the 58'. The Zips were awarded a corner kick at the 56:39 mark and junior Anaya Donelan (Warrington, England) headed to the corner to put the ball in play. Donelan sent a curling strike into the box that found the head of Ward but was turned away by an EKU defender. The rebound of the shot went directly back to Ward who sent another header on goal but the shot was corralled by the keeper.

Following the back-to-back penalty kicks by the Colonels and Zips, the contest headed into extra time all squared at one.

At the 99:19 mark, Pcholinsky nearly ended the contest as the midfielder ripped a strike from straight away just outside the box but the ball was punched over the net for a save.

Kale attempted a shot in the final overtime period at the 105:49 mark, but the attempt landed wide of the net.

The Zips women's soccer team will conclude the non-conference portion of the 2019 campaign on Thursday, Sept. 19, at FirstEnergy Stadium. Akron plays host to visiting Robert Morris at 7 p.m. Prior to the start of the contest, the Zips will honor its senior, Ashley Amato, on senior night.