WALLA WALLA, Wash. Whitman's women's soccer team cornered the market on grit and goalpost paint Wednesday night at the Athletic Complex fields, but it was visiting Whitworth University that came away with a 1-0 Northwest Conference overtime victory by knocking in the game-winner with 38 seconds remaining in the extra period.
Whitman (1-12-2, 1-8-2 NWC) found frame, literally, near the end of each half of regulation.
Pagan Hetherington hit the inside of the right post in the 43rd minute but the carom bounced clear of danger for the Pirates ((7-8, 6-5) who were able to escape the threat and enter the halftime break in a scoreless tie.
The 86th minute added more paint to the ball as
Kristin Brady's shot bounced off the crossbar to finish off a pressure-packed series of attacks from Whitman that threatened Whitworth goalkeeper Sienna Tanner.
Extra time, however, belonged to the Pirates. In just less than 10 minutes they reeled off five shots, the last of which ended the game on a goal from Arielle Van Peursem.
The overtime stanza was far different than the previous 90 minutes.
At times Wednesday's contest resembled a hockey game, in which one team would generate a combination of attacks on goal, only have to play quickly transition down field as if on skates to mirror the attack on the opposite goal.
At the culmination of regulation Whitworth owned only an 18-17 advantage in shots, while contrarily the Pirate keepers needed to come up with six saves compared to five by
Haley Case to keep the game scoreless.
Jenna Rogers started the game between the pipes for the Pirates and made three saves before giving way to Tanner after the intermission. Tanner came up with three saves herself, and each owed the frame a bit of gratitude in the post-game celebration.
Case finished her night with six saves, adding one in overtime before Van Peursem's winning tally.
The midweek game takes the place of one of the weekend contests for Whitman which closes out its week Saturday with a trip to Salem, Oregon, where it will take on Willamette University.
