CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two goals barely underneath the crossbar were the difference Friday night, as the Charlotte women’s soccer team dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to Marshall at Transamerica Field. The setback came during the 49ers’ fourth overtime contest already this fall.

The Thundering Herd knocked in the game winner at 92:58 when Kelly Culicerto intercepted an attempted clear by the Charlotte (4-5-1, 1-2 C-USA) backline. She collected the ball at her feet and sent a hard shot from 30 yards out just under the crossbar, over a leaping Annika McHenry, to give Marshall the win.

The 49ers, who found themselves down a goal, equalized the scoring before the end of the first period. Freshman Martha Thomas threaded a through ball to senior Sara Trexler, who split two Herd defenders and found the back of the net at the top of the 18-yard box for her first score of the campaign at the 33:08 mark. It also marked Trexler’s sixth career goal, and first which was not a game winner.

Marshall (4-4-2, 1-1 C-USA) jumped out to a 1-0 cushion behind Erin Simmons’ straight-on blast from 25 yards at 28:25. Her attempt nicked the underside of the crossbar and trickled over the line despite a valiant effort from McHenry to keep it out.

Preseason All-Conference USA pick Amanda Jones had the Niners’ first chance of the game just 6:26 into the contest, as she sent a low shot towards the cage and forced netminder Lizzie Kish to dive to stop the attempt.

Thomas nearly added another goal to her team-leading total at 31:23 when she had her back towards the Thundering Herd cage, turned only to aim high above the frame.

Early in the second half, senior Jessica Ryan’s shot bounced off the right post at 50:05 on a wide-open effort on the right flank.

McHenry, who finished with a career-best 12 saves to top her previous high of 11 at Clemson Sept. 7 this fall, kept her team in it with a jumping save at 58:26 on a Kristine Culicerto shot. Ten minutes later, at 68:54, junior Loren Reilley cleared a potential shot off the backline following Myka DeMarco’s shot.

Trexler finished with a team-high four shots, while Thomas and Jones each added three.

Kelly Culicerto and DeMarco led all players with six attempts apiece, while Kish registered four stops.

Charlotte will look to regroup when it hits the road to face WKU in Bowling Green, Ky., at 2 p.m. ET Sunday. It will mark the first meeting between the two programs.

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