Box Score Panthers drop opener to Falcons
FITCHBURG, Mass. – Senior Courtney Kimball
(Plymouth, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal in the 101st minute
Saturday afternoon to lead Fitchburg State University to a 3-2
non-conference victory over Plymouth State University in the PSU
women's soccer season opener.
Kimball broke a 2-2 deadlock in the second overtime period as she
blasted a shot from 15 yards out for her second consecutive
game-winning score. Freshman Kristen Cameron (Webster, Mass.) gave
the senior captain a solid touch feed from the left side of the
field before Kimball one-timed the ball to the back of the
net.
The Falcons rallied back from a 2-0 deficit as Plymouth State got
on the board first with a successful penalty kick by junior
Sammi Jo Saltalamacchia (Sandown, N.H.) just 11
minutes into the second half. The Panthers added another score less
than nine minutes later as Carol Messler (Durham,
N.H.) converted her first goal of the season.
Fitchburg State bounced back with two scores over a six minute span
to knot the game at 2-2. Freshman Rebecca Spiro (Marshfield,
Mass.) broke the scoring silence in the 69th minute, bending an
indirect kick for the Falcons first score of the match. Classmate
Nicole Stone (Webster, Mass.) followed suit in the 75th minute,
nipping the bottom left corner of the net for the equalizer.
It was a goalkeeper's battle for much of the contest as play
was scoreless for the first 56 minutes. Junior
Angelina LaBroad (Hampton, N.H.) was strong
between the pipes for the Panthers, enduring an 8-1 shot
differential in the first half and 11 targets in the second.
The veteran keeper finished with 11 saves throughout the match,
while freshman goalkeeper Jillian Kirouac (Leominster, Mass.)
notched five stops for the Falcons.
The Falcons (2-0) will be in action again next Saturday as they
host WPI at 10:00 a.m. Plymouth State (0-1) will host Simmons
College in its home opener on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.
(Courtesy of Fitchburg State Sports Information)
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