Purple Knights Earn Hard Fought 2-2 Draw At Franklin Pierce

Rindge, N.H.- The University of Bridgeport women's soccer team erased a two-goal deficit inside the final 30 minutes of the second half to earn a 2-2 tie against Franklin Pierce University on Monday evening.

With the draw, UB is now 3-4-1 overall in the season, and Franklin Pierce moves to 3-3-1. The result also extends the Purple Knight's unbeaten streak to four matches.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring just 3:57 into the first half when Gabi Pereira scored to give the Ravens a 1-0 lead. Bridgeport spent the remainder of the first half by piling on the pressure, outshooting the hosts 7-4 and forcing Franklin Pierce's goalie, Casey Kane, into making five saves during the first 45 minutes. The Ravens made Bridgeport pay for missing their earlier chances as less than ten minutes into the second half, Pereira scored her second goal of the game by finishing off Keyla Gonzalez Jaen's pass at the 52:47 mark.

But Bridgeport kept pushing and got their reward ten minutes later when Senior midfielder Marieke Kramer (Megchelen, Netherlands) scored from long distance, trimming their deficit to 2-1.

Then at the 75:22 mark, the Purple Knights earned a penalty kick as Junior forward Andrea Basilicato (Guilford, Conn.) got fouled inside the box. Up stepped Senior forward Maegen Doyle (Harwich, England) and she coolly buried the spot kick, giving her 12 goals in her 2019 campaign.

The 2-2 score line held through the rest of regulation and the first overtime period, but Bridgeport created two quality chances in the last five minutes of the second overtime period. Senior forward Nara DaCosta (Pancas, Brazil) and Basilicato each came close, only to see both of their efforts saved by Kane, who saved ten shots on the night for the Ravens. Bridgeport's Freshman goalie Helena Dahlstrom (Stockholm, Sweden) made her second consecutive start in net and made two saves.

The UB women's soccer team resumes their East Coast Conference schedule on Saturday as they square off against Daemen College. Kickoff in Western New York is set for 11:00 am.