FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood midfielder
Amanda Spencer scored the game-tying goal with 1:50 left in regulation to force overtime and send the Lancers to a 1-1 draw against Big South foe Gardner-Webb Saturday afternoon at Greene-Harbison Stadium.
With the Bulldogs (4-7-3, 1-3-1 Big South) holding a 1-0 advantage after taking the lead on a Shelby Hooe goal in the 71st minute, Spencer beat the buzzer at the 88:10 mark with her third goal of the season to send the game to overtime. The equalizer was the 19th career goal for Longwood's two-time All-Big South pick, who also scored game-winners this season against American and VMI.
After Spencer tied the game, Longwood goalkeeper
Maria Kirby saved three more shots through regulation and the two overtime periods to preserve the draw. The sophomore netminder registered six saves over her 110 minutes in goal, extending a strong defensive stretch for the Lancers (6-5-2, 2-1-2 Big South), who have given up just three goals over the past six games.
"Tough game under tough circumstances," said Longwood head coach
Todd Dyer. "The team showed a lot of fight and character by competing to the end and finding that late goal. We can play a lot better than that, but we still earned a point and we're still undefeated on the road in conference."
The draw keeps Longwood inside the top half of the Big South standings and extends a three-game unbeaten streak. Since a 4-0 loss at No. 5 West Virginia on Sept. 13, the Lancers are 3-1-2 with their lone loss coming 2-1 in overtime against first-place Coastal Carolina.
Gardner-Webb had several chances to duplicate Coastal Carolina's Sept. 26 overtime win in Farmville, directing six shots toward Longwood's net in in the extra minutes. Kirby blocked two of those, the Longwood defense deflected another, and three – including two headers in front of the net – sailed wide.
Despite that high-volume shooting effort, which saw Gardner-Webb take 16 shots and eight corner kicks in the game, Longwood allowed only seven shots on goal. That marked the fifth straight game Longwood has held the opposition to seven shots on goal or fewer and the 10th time Lancer opponents have been held to one goal or fewer. Longwood has given up just three goals over the past six games and is 6-2-2 when holding the opposition under two goals this season.
Currently in the midst of a three-game road stretch, the Lancers will next head to Presbyterian Wednesday for a 7 p.m. matchup on the Big South Network. That game precedes the finale of the road swing, a Saturday matchup at Charleston Southern, before the Lancers return home on Oct. 21 to host Campbell.
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