Spencer, Hall lead Huskies soccer past UTEP, 3-2 in OT
Aug. 28, 2015 Updated: Oct. 5, 2016 10:59 a.m.
Behind freshman Sabriah Spencer's two goals and sophomore Ellee Hall's career-high three assists, HBU women's soccer defeated visiting UTEP, 3-2 in overtime, Friday afternoon for the first time in program history.
"I felt like the first half was one of the best halves of soccer we've played," said HBU head coach Misty Jones. "The great thing was we did everything that we worked on in practice, so that was really great to see."
Spencer scored her first-collegiate goal in the first half, then netted the game winner in the extra session to lead all players with four points. Hall registered three points on a trio of helpers, all coming off of corner kicks. Senior Rebekah Tovar had the other Huskies' goal. Sophomore Katie Turner made four saves for the win.
Angela Cutaia had a three-point day with a goal and an assist to lead UTEP (1-2-0), while Kennadie Chaudhary came off the bench to score the Miners' second goal. Alyssa Palacios made three saves in goal.
It took just 2:50 for UTEP to get the upper hand, as Cutaia scored her second goal of the season, assisted by Jeanna Mullen. The Huskies answered with two straight tallies to take a 2-1 lead. On an HBU corner, Hall took the in-bounds and Spencer headed the ball in to knot the game at one-all in the 21st minute. Nine minutes later, Tovar beat Palacios far side off another Huskies' corner.
The Miners evened the match just over two minutes left in the opening half, as Chaudhary fired a shot at the top of the box that beat Turner.
HBU outshot the Miners, 9-5, in the first half and held a commanding 9-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Neither team could get the upper hand in the second half. Jennifer Gebhardt made a spectacular defensive play in the 76th minute as, with Turner out of position and Alexis Roberts gearing up to take a long shot towards an open net, Gebhardt slid and blocked the shot out of harm's way.
In the 91st minute, on the Huskies' 10th corner kick, Hall sent the ball in, Spencer's initial header attempt was blocked, but the ball went right back to Spencer, who fired a shot past Palacios as pandemonium ensued.
HBU, 2-0-0 for the first time since the 2006 season, begins a six-match road trip next Friday at UC Riverside at 9 pm central time.