WATERVILLE — Defending NESCAC champion Connecticut College is developing a habit of playing low-scoring games that go to overtime. Less than 24 hours removed from an 8-0 loss to eighth-ranked Williams, Colby wasn’t about to discourage that habit.
The Mules put the pressure on the Camels early with a Laura Arnold goal, then held off enough of Connecticut College’s relentless pressure in the second half with some strong defense and fine goalkeeping by first-year Sam Rizzo to settle for a 1-1 tie in double-overtime on a windy Sunday at Colby Soccer Field.
“(Saturday’s) game was a tough one. We didn’t start off too well,” said Arnold, a sophomore forward from Dallas, TX. “We have a veteran back line that believes in each other and we definitely stepped it up today. Connecticut College is the defending NESCAC champs, and it we can play with them, we can play with anyone.”
“I think the big thing was we brought a tougher mentality and a more competitive spirit to the game that you need every weekend in the NESCAC games,” said Colby interim head coach Mark Serdjenian.
Connecticut College outshot the Mules, 40-16. Rizzo made 27 saves.
It was the first overtime for the Mules (1-2-1, 0-2-1 NESCAC) on the young season, but the third in a row for the Camels (0-2-2, 0-1-2), who were coming off a 1-0 double-overtime loss to Tufts on Saturday and tied Middlebury, 1-1, a week ago.
Both teams took advantage for the half and overtime session that the wind was at their back. Both goals were scored at the south end, and the ball stayed in that end for the balance of play, particularly when the Camels had the advantage in the second half.
Colby’s celebration of Arnold’s goal was delayed. Arnold headed a free kick from Emma Marjollet while crashing the net, nearly colliding with Camels keeper Bryanna Montalvo (eight saves), who caught the ball but took a step back to avoid the collision and went over the goal line.
“Our captain, Emma Marjollet, played a really good ball into me and I found myself with a lot of space,” Arnold said. “The linesman said that the goalie let the entire ball cross, so it was a goal.”
After conferring with the linesman, the referee awarded Colby the goal and a 1-0 lead at 27:34.
“Getting that first goal was important,” Serdjenian said. “The wind was a little bit of a factor but both teams adjusted to it.”
Connecticut College manufactured a couple of chances going against the wind around the 36-minute mark. Rizzo charged out of the net to rob Alex Baltazar on a near breakaway, then Emmy McGoldrick barely cleared the crossbar on a volley from about 40 yards away.
The Camels finally broke through on a corner kick from Emmy McGoldrick that Katelyn Murray headed in at 68:12.
“(McGoldrick) can absolutely knock the cover off a ball,” Connecticut College coach Norm Riker said. “She drove a great ball in and Katelyn Murray headed it for the equalizer. It was a great set piece.”
Rizzo turned aside several more salvos in the half and survived one sequence in the second overtime with Baltazar set up to her left for a pair of hard shots from close range. The first went wide. Rizzo was positioned perfectly to catch the second.
“I have to credit the defense,” Rizzo said. “The four returning starters in front of me (Marjollet, Emily Martin, Nora Mabie, Emilie Klein have just been really incredible all season. (Saturday) was definitely an atypical game for us. The way we just played is how we’re going to play for the rest of the season. As devastating as that loss was, I think that was kind of a wake-up call for us and we snapped out of the funk we were in.”
“The wind was a factor in both halves,” Riker said. “Their goalie played great. They defended hard. A point on the road in the NESCAC? I’ll take it.”
Randy Whitehouse — 621-5638
rwhitehouse@mainetoday.com
Twitter: @RAWmaterial33
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