AB Women's Soccer Drops a Heartbreaker to Concord, 3-2

(Philippi, WV) --- The A-B College Women's Soccer Team had a huge upset slip through their fingers in the final minutes on Friday evening as they fell to perennial WVIAC power Concord (3-1, 1-0) 3-2 in overtime.

The Lady Battlers (1-1, 0-1) would strike first as Gwen Brand (Fr., Kingwood, WV) would chip the CU Goalie from 30 yards out to gain the 1-0 lead just 7 minutes in. Both teams would have a couple of good scoring chances in the opening half, but A-B would take the 1-0 lead into the break.

The score would stay that way until the 57th minute, as 1st Team All WVIAC Forward Gemma Nortcliffe would break free from the A-B back four and beat GK Kate Laird (Fr., Morgantown, WV) to knot the game at 1-1.

Forward Kasie Shoemaker would give the Battlers the lead in the 78th minute as she would race down the right wing and then float a perfect ball just inside the left post for her third goal of the season, giving AB a 2-1 lead.

Then with 1:10 left to go, Forward Lindsey DeVaughn would come off the bench for CU to send the game into overtime with a chip over the GK Laird into the left side netting.

Concord would end any hopes of an upset as Nortcliffe would out muscle Defender Megan Johnson (Fr., Charleston, WV) and bury the game winner just under 7 minutes into the first overtime.

Both teams would finish with 15 shots, while CU would hold a 11-9 advantage on shots on goal. Each team would have six corner kicks a piece.

Laird would come up big with eight saves, while her counter part Kacey HIldebrand would stop seven battler scoring opportunities.

The Lady Battlers will look to rebound as they travel to Buckhannon, WV this Thursday to take on Back to Back WVIAC Champions WV Wesleyan. Kickoff is set for 7pm.