Ashley Dragos scored a goal, then narrowly missed on two golden opportunities to score again against Concord Monday afternoon.
With a bit of a lucky bounce, she didn't miss on her final chance – and it won the game for West Virginia Wesleyan.
Dragos' golden goal in the 114th minute lifted the visiting Lady Bobcats to a 2-1 double-overtime victory over Concord in their WVIAC grudge match on a cool, dreary October day at Anderson Field.
WVWC took advantage of a loose ball just to the Concord side of midfield, which Meghan Zayas sent ahead to Dragos. Dragos' kick bounced off and over charging Lady Lions goalkeeper Kacey Hildebrand and bounded ahead into the net, giving Wesleyan its fifth straight victory over CU.
The game-winner punctuated a match in which the Bobcats outshot Concord 17-6 and carried the play in the two overtime periods.
It was the first matchup between the two teams since Wesleyan's shootout victory in last year's WVIAC Championship. It was also the first time Concord had scored on the Lady Bobcats in five meetingss.
The defeat ended Concord's four-match winning streak and cut the Lady Lions' lead over Wesleyan for second place in the WVIAC to a slim two points. CU is 5-2 in the conference (8-5 overall), while Wesleyan stands at 4-1-1, 6-6-1. Each team has three league matches remaining in the regular season.
Monday's match began with the two sides taking turns making forays into the other's half. Concord was able to build some sustained pressure and got the first goal of the day when Gemma Nortcliffe took a bouncing pass from Terri Donnelly and boomed it past Wesleyan keeper Caroline Lalley with 25:06 remaining in the opening half.
The lead did not last long.
The Lady Bobcats took advantage of a slip in the Concord defense to get the equalizer. Dragos found the net, assisted by Ashley Rees, just 1:43 after Nortcliffe's goal.
Dragos had a chance to score with 6:00 left in the half, when she found herself facing Hildebrand and an open left side of the Concord net. But Dragos pushed her shot wide right.
Opportunity presented itself again to Dragos with 3:00 left in regulation, but she couldn't quite control a header, and the attempt bounced across an open goal mouth and the Concord defense cleared away the ball.
Concord stayed in the game with its defense, on a day in which its offense had its difficulties against Wesleyan's taller midfielders and defenders.
“Our defense was phenomenal. I'm so proud of them, so proud of their effort,” Lady Lions head coach Carol Bonnes said. “Our two center backs (Donnelly and Danielle Pye) were outstanding. It was their best game of the year.”
Donnelly left the game due to injury in the second overtime. Wesleyan's game-winning goal came just moments later.
“What's ahead of us now is to get over some injuries, get back to work and get ready for (Wheeling) Jesuit on Sunday,” said Bonnes.
Concord hosts Wheeling Jesuit Sunday at noon.
