Box Score Oct. 16, 2013
Box Score
The Grizzlies' 33rd shot of the afternoon proved to be the game winner on Wednesday as sophomore Mackenzie Bailey's score in the 106th minute gave the Georgia Gwinnett women's soccer team a 2-1 double-overtime victory at Young Harris College.
The Grizzlies racked up a season-high 15 shots on goal and outshot the Mountain Lions overall, 33-15, continuing the attack until they captured a victory in their fifth overtime game this season.
The win, GGC's fifth in the last six games, improved the team to 9-3-1 overall. Young Harris fell to 3-9 with the loss as the teams opened the Mountain Lions' new synthetic turf soccer field in Young Harris, Ga.
"It didn't come easy today but I'm very proud of the team for battling against a quality opponent," said GGC head coach Domenic Martelli. "We got better today because we dug down deeper than we had all year to get this result. We had to figure out a different way to win and we did it."
After a scoreless first period that saw GGC and YHC put up eight shots apiece, the Grizzly offense turned up the pressure in the second half. GGC earned a 21-4 second-half shot advantage and opened the scoring with Nikki LeFevre's tally from Mary Vernetti in the 55th minute.
The Mountain Lions tied the game 13 minutes later when Whitney Thomas found the back of the net unassisted for just the 11th GGC goal allowed in 13 games.
LeFevre had a game-high eight shots while Amanda Dale added seven, but Young Harris' Yustin Nambo made 13 saves in goal to keep the game tied. The two teams battled the remainder of regulation and the first overtime period without a score, sending GGC to its fourth double-overtime period of the year.
Halfway through the final period, Dale sent a pass through to Bailey that the sophomore converted for her third score of the year and the GGC victory.
"The final goal was a beautiful finish," Martelli said of the game-winner. "It can get discouraging when you create so many chances and don't capitalize but we kept fighting and made the most important play."
Mo Gutierrez and Alex Hays each made a pair of saves in the Grizzly net.
Georgia Gwinnett is next in action on Sunday at Agnes Scott College for a 2 p.m. kickoff.
