The Georgia Gwinnett women's soccer team fought through a back-and-forth battle over 93 minutes on Monday evening to edge WVU Tech 4-3 in overtime.

"Our defensive inconsistencies are allowing goals, and our opponents aren't scoring on us on open shots," stated GGC head coach Chris Kouns. "We need to clean up our mental and coverage errors that keep letting teams back into games.  These miscues will come back to haunt us in the future if we do not address them and fix our mistakes."

The Grizzlies (5-5-1) overcame a two-goal deficit in the first half to score three unanswered goals, taking the 3-2 lead with just under four minutes left in regulation.  While the Golden Bears tied the game with two minutes remaining in regulation, forcing overtime, the Grizzlies battled back to score the Golden Goal in the third minute of overtime to take the 4-3 victory.

WVU Tech (4-4) took the 1-0 lead in the fourth minute of play when Georgia Gwinnett scored an own goal off a clearance attempt that bounced backward into the net.  In the 11th minute, the Golden Bears scored their first goal of the match to take the 2-0 lead.  Ruby Bingham pushed a long ball from midfield to Hailey Couchman.  Couchman one-touched a through ball to Olivia Mantohbang who fired a shot to the lower right-hand corner of the net.

Georgia Gwinnett responded with its first goal in the 17th minute when Lauren Moss poked a shot past the Golden Bear goalkeeper, narrowing the gap to 2-1.

After an inspirational halftime speech by Coach Kouns, the Grizzlies rallied to score the next two goals to take the 3-2 advantage.  In the 77th minute, Nikki LeFevre tied the match with a strike to the back right post.  LeFevre's goal was the 26th of her GGC career, bringing her within two goals of tying and three goals of breaking the all-time career goals mark of 28 currently held by Mary Vernetti.

Nine minutes later, Moss scored her second goal of the match to put the Grizzlies ahead 3-2. 

With two minutes left in the match, WVU Tech scored the equalizer when Couchman snuck a ball through GGC's backline, allowing Tristen Kilman to score the tying goal, forcing overtime.

In the extra frame, the Golden Bears charged back down the field and fired a shot right at GGC's goalkeeper, Courtney Hicks.  Hicks, who made her first start of the 2016 season between the posts for GGC, stood her ground and gathered the shot, collecting her seventh and most crucial save of the match.

In the 93rd minute, senior midfielder Tiffany Rodriguez worked down the left side of the field towards the 18-yard box, drawing the WVU Tech keeper out of position and to the near post.  At the last possible second, Rodriguez pushed a pass to the middle of the box where Dominique Fletcher scored the Golden Goal for the 4-3 Georgia Gwinnett victory.

Kouns continued, "Single-handedly, Tiffany set up the game-winner for us.  Her selfless effort down the near side of the field and the presence of mind to pass the ball to Dominique at the most opportune time was the lift we needed.  We are still searching for our identity as a unit, and hopefully, others will follow her effort and other leaders will emerge."

Georgia Gwinnett now returns to Lawrenceville to begin a six-match homestand beginning Friday, September 30.  The Grizzlies will host Georgetown (Ky.) at 7:00 p.m. at the Grizzly Soccer Complex in Lawrenceville.

Game day coverage against the Tigers: 
Live Statistics
Live Video

Scoring Summary
4:03 – (WVUIT) GGC own goal
10:07 – (WVUIT) Olivia Mantohbang, assisted by Ruby Bingham and Hailey Couchman
16:14 – (GGC) Lauren Moss, assisted by Nikki LeFevre
76:09 – (GGC) Nikki LeFevre, assisted by Dominique Fletcher
86:01 – (GGC) Lauren Moss, assisted by Amy Morland
87:54 – (WVUIT) Tristen Kilman, assisted by Hailey Couchman
92:32 – (GGC) Dominique Fletcher, assisted by Tiffany Rodriguez

By the Numbers
6 – Days until the Grizzlies face (RV) Georgetown (Ky.)
7 – Saves made by GGC goalkeeper Courtney Hicks
8 – Shots landing on goal for GGC
22 – Number of shots taken by the Grizzlies
40 – Combined shots taken in the match by GGC and WVU Tech

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