(LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sep. 13)- The McKendree University women's soccer team trailed 4-1 with just over 18 minutes left in regulation on Friday afternoon, but went on to score four unanswered goals to earn a 5-4 win in double overtime at Bellarmine University in the conference opener.

The Bearcats improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference with the victory. McKendree has won three-straight games on the season and are now 2-0 in GLVC opening games over the past two seasons.

McKendree will host University of Southern Indiana for a conference match on Sunday, Sep. 15 at noon.

The hosts came out strong in the first half and got two goals from Mary Beth Gorham in the opening 20 minutes of play. The Bearcats settled down and had some opportunities in the remainder of the half, but couldn't convert to head into the breakdon 2-0.

The Knights pushed their lead out to 3-0 in the 50th minute on a goal by Chelsea McCarty, but junior forward Natalie Crane (Granite City, Ill./Granite City) scored her her first goal of the season in the 63rd minute and cut the deficit to 3-1.

Bellarmine struck again in the 72nd minute on a goal by Abby Janszen to push its lead back out to 4-1, but the goal would be their last on the afternoon.

Sophomore forward Alyssa Patterson (Troy, Ill./Triad) hit a shot off the post, but senior forward Chealsey Russell (Springfield, Mo./Kickapoo) was there to clean it up and scored her third goal of the season in the 82nd minute to bring McKendree within two, 4-2.

It wouldn't take long for the Bearcats to strike again when sophomore midfielder Cassie Kaiping (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) took a pass from senior midfielder/defender Tara Kennedy (Waterloo, Ill./Gibault Catholic) and beat the Bellarmine keeper to the left side in the 84th minute to cut the score to 4-3.

Russell tied the game with her team-leading fourth goal of the season with just under 1:30 left in regulation and the game was headed to overtime.

Bellarmine took three shots in the first overtime, but couldn't place any on goal to send the game to a second overtime period. A corner kick by Kennedy in the 108th minute got bounced around, but ended up finding the foot of senior forward Amy Cassiday (Rochester, Ill./Rochester) who beat the keeper for the game-winning score.

Cassiday's goal, her 33rd career goal and 10th career game-winning goal, moved her into sixth place at McKendree in goals scored, fifth place in game-winning goals, and into a tie for seventh in career points.

Sophomore Taylor Zerbe (St. Louis, Mo./Trinity Catholic) played the final 34:42 in goal and earned her first win of the season. She also had two saves in the victory.
 

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