Fry Scores Early, Bell Provides Game Winner
Mishawaka, Ind. – The Bethel women’s soccer returned to the win column on Wednesday night at Morey Field, securing a 2-1 win in double overtime over visiting Rochester (Mich.). The Pilots improve to 2-3-2 on the season.
Jessi Fry (JR/Martinsville, Ind.) got the scoring started for the Pilots, receiving a ball from Kama Hardy (SO/Toledo, Ohio) and putting past the Warrior keeper in the 7th minute of the match to take a 1-0 lead. The Pilots had three more scoring opportunities in the first half but were unable to break through any further in the first period. Tessa Zimmerly(SO/Shipshewana, Ind.) stopped two shots by the visitors as another two went wide and the Pilots took a 1-0 lead into intermission.
The Pilots defense was stellar again in the second half until the Warriors converted on a scoring opportunity in the 82nd minute. Brenna Bianchi netted the goal for the Wolverine-Hooser Athletic Conference foe on a cross by Cassidy Kowalski. The Pilots were unable to capitalize on any of their five shot attempts in the second period and the game headed to overtime deadlocked at 1.
Neither team could muster much offense in the first extra session and the game headed to a second extra period. The Pilots dominated the second overtime session and in the 106th minute Sophia Bell (FR/Oxford, Mich.) received the ball at the top of the box from Delanee Frye (SO/Middletown, Ind.) and made several nifty moves before powering one past the Warriors’ netminder for the game-winning goal–the first of her career.
Fry put 3 shots on goal to lead all players in the match. Zimmerly made four saves in net for the Pilots who improve to 2-3-2 on the season. The Pilots hit the road for four straight matches beginning Saturday at Lourdes (Ohio) in Sylvania, Ohio and a 3:00 pm kick-off.
“A lot of great positives tonight in terms of our collective efending and our service,” stated Head Coach Jamie Lindvall. “Kama put in a great ball in the first half that Jessi did a great job of finishing. We showed great resilience in battling back in overtime today as well. Delanee showed a lot of composure to find Sophia top of the box in overtime and then an Sophia made an outstanding finish for the game-winner.”