Copeland Nets Winner in OT to Lead Women's Soccer to 2-1 Win

BRIDGEWATER,  Mass. – Junior forward Molly Copeland (North Falmouth, Mass.) notched the game-winning goal with just 13 second remaining in the first overtime to lead the Bridgewater State University women's soccer team to a dramatic 2-1 come-from-behind win over visiting Plymouth State University on Tuesday afternoon at Swenson Field.

The host Bears improve to 9-6-1 on the season with the win, while Plymouth falls to 4-10. Seven of the Panthers' ten losses have been by just one goal.

With the clock ticking down in overtime, sophomore midfielder Katie Johnson (Marshfield, Mass.) sent Copeland in on a breakaway with a long through pass.  Copeland controlled the ball, dribbled in and chipped a shot over the goaltender and into the back of the net for her third marker of the season. 

The Bears trailed 1-0 until the waning minutes of regulation when senior forward Amber LaPorte (New Hartford, Conn.) scored on a header off a rebound of a Melanie Thomson (Abington, Mass.) shot in the 86th minute. For LaPorte it was her team-leading sixth goal of the campaign.

Plymouth had taken the 1-0 first half lead with just over ten minutes left in the opening stanza as senior midfielder Sammi Jo Saltalamacchia (Sandown, N.H.) buried a shot into the left side of the net off a pass from sophomore midfielder Laura Davis (Pelham, NY).

Bridgewater held a 19-13 shot advantage for the game while Plymouth had the 3-2 edge in corner kicks.

BSU's goaltending duo of junior Kristen Rowe (Burlington, Mass.) and sophomore Kerry Condon (Whitman, Mass.) combined to make six saves in the contest.  Condon entered the game to start the second half and  picked up her sixth win of the season while turning aside four shots.  Two of Condon's four saves came in the overtime period including a stop of a header shot by Panther sophomore forward Cassie Graham (Foster, R.I.) in the 95th minute.

Senior Angelina LaBroad (Hampton, N.H.) made 11 saves between the pipes for the Panthers.

Bridgewater will host MASCAC foe Mass. Maritime Academy on Saturday afternoon at 5:30.  Plymouth travels to Little East Conference rival Rhode Island College on Saturday for a one o'clock game with the Anchorwomen.