Women's Soccer Plays To 1-1 Draw In NEC Opener

The Central Connecticut women's soccer team moves to 4-3-3 overall and 0-0-1 in NEC play after a double overtime draw against Robert Morris in its Northeast Conference opener on Friday afternoon. Robert Morris now moves to 2-8-2 overall on the season and is also 0-0-1 in the NEC.

The draw now extends CCSU's unbeaten streak to five games. They are 3-0-2 over that span.

The Blue Devils struck first as sophomore Alysa Christo got the scoring started at the 37:08 mark after a failed clearance attempt by Robert Morris. A short clearance from the Colonials back line went directly to Christo at the top of the RMU box.  She gathered and fired a blistering strike into the upper right corner of the goal to give the Blue Devils a 1-0 advantage.

The goal for Christo was her second goal of the season.

Robert Morris found the equalizer in the 78th minute to tie the game 1-1. Junior Madison Kozlowski took a corner kick that was headed away by the CCSU defense, but it went right back to Kozlowski in the corner. She took one touch back to center and sent a shot on net that deflected off a Blue Devil defender and past sophomore goalkeeper Nicki Turley inside the near post for the score.

Each team had an excellent chance to win the game in the second overtime, but neither could capitalize. The first chance came in the 102nd minute and belonged to Robert Morris. Kozlowski carried the ball down the right wing and hit a low cross into the box that found teammate Kristie Hamilton. She redirected the offering from eight yards out, but it went over the crossbar and out of play.

CCSU answered with a chance of their own in the 105th minute. A ball through the Colonials back four by senior Tori Sousa found the foot of classmate Julie Lavoie, but her first-touch shot slid outside the right post.

Turley played all 110 minutes in goal for the Blue Devils and finished with seven saves. Her play was highlighted by a diving save to her left in the 47th minute to deny an equalizing goal just after the break. Her record now moves to 4-3-3 on the season.

Sousa led the team with four shots and and two shots on goal. Junior Claire Walsh also had a pair of shots with one on target.

Robert Morris outshot the Blue Devils 14-11 and owned the advantage in shots on goal 8-6 and corner kicks 8-5.

The Blue Devils return to action on Sunday against the Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. and can be viewed live, for free on NECFrontRow.com.