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Matteo Bracco
2
VASSAR VASSAR-W (9-7-1)
3
Winner RIT RIT (11-4-2)
VASSAR VASSAR-W
(9-7-1)
2
Final
3
RIT RIT
(11-4-2)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
VASSAR VASSAR-W 1 1 0 2
RIT RIT 0 2 1 3

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Steve Jaynes - Director of Athletic Communicationse

Tigers use late rally to stun Vassar in overtime in Liberty League first round contest

Saia's overtime goal completes comeback for Tigers; RIT scores three times in less than six minutes to advance

ROCHESTER, NY – Junior Abbey Saia (Monroe, CT/Masuk) scored 1:28 into overtime to give the No. 3 RIT (11-4-2) women's soccer team a 3-2 come-from-behind win over No. 6 Vassar College (9-7-1) in the first round of the 2018 Liberty League Women's Soccer Tournament from sunny Tiger Stadium on Tuesday. RIT scored all three goals in a span of 4:36, including two in the final 3:08 of regulation to rally from a 2-0 deficit and force overtime. 
 
With just 3:08 remaining, Saia fired a free kick from just outside the penalty area that Vassar keeper Fiona Walsh dove to stop. The rebound bounced right to Rebecca Hext (Ottawa, ON/Longfields Davidson Heights), who fired in the rebound in close to cut the Vassar lead to 2-1. 
 
Just 1:56 later, Marla Roberts (Penfield, NY/Home Schooled) tied the game, scoring on a scrum inside the Vassar box. Roberts gathered the loose ball and fired home a shot for her team-leading eighth goal of the season with just 1:12 remaining in regulation to force overtime.
 
RIT controlled the possession in overtime leading to the Saia goal. Roberts had a golden chance blocked by a Vassar defender, with the rebound coming right to Lauren Chester (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia). Chester fired a shot that was deflected inside the Vassar penalty area. Saia ran onto the loose ball and fired home a shot into the open net to complete the comeback and send the Tigers to the Liberty League Semifinals for the second straight season. 

"I am so incredibly proud of this group of women," said RIT head coach Liz Masterson. "We knew what sort of heart this group had, and it was on display today. We handled a lot of adversity prior to today's game, and during the game. But, we found a way to come back. What a game!"

RIT out-shot Vassar, 14-6, including 10-2 in the second half and overtime. Each team took three corner kicks. Alyssa Salls (Plattsburgh, NY/Plattsburgh) got the win in net for the Tigers, making one save. Walsh took the loss for Vassar, making eight saves. It is the first win for RIT over Vassar since 2015.
 
RIT had a couple of early scoring chances early on, but Vassar took the lead in the 32nd minute on a goal from Brenna McMannon. She sent a shot on target from distance that crept over Salls' outstretched hands and into the far corner for a 1-0 lead.

The Brewers took a 2-0 lead in the 61st minute when Jordan Moss scored off a free kick. She fired a perfect shot low and around the RIT defensive wall that beat Salls into the far corner.
 
RIT will face No. 2 Ithaca College on Saturday, Nov. 3 in the Liberty League Semifinals at 7 p.m. on the campus of William Smith College. The Tigers defeated Ithaca 2-1 on Oct. 24 at Tiger Stadium.