CAMBRIDGE, MA – Despite outshooting the Eagles 33-6, Lesley women's soccer moved to 4-3-2 with a 1-1 tie against Daniel Webster in both teams' New England Collegiate Conference opener Saturday afternoon at Edward field.
Jackee Sanchez (Fair Oaks Ranch, CA/Golden Valley) scored for the Lynx (0-0-1 NECC), while Sarah Clark (Marlboro, MA/Marlboro) found the back of the net for the Eagles (1-3-2, 0-0-1 NECC). Peppered with shots all afternoon, goalkeeper Amy Waller (Berlin, MA/Tahanto) kept Daniel Webster in the game with 16 saves.
Lesley's best opportunity of the early going came on a Sanchez cross to Veronica Halen (San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic), whose point-blank header bounced over the crossbar at 14:56. Minutes later, Lynx leading scorer Jenna Fralick (Woburn, MA/Woburn) broke free for a one-on-one with Eagles goalkeeper Amy Waller (Berlin, MA/Tahanto), but was stoned on a sliding save at 21:14. Despite taking the last eight shots and outshooting Daniel Webster 10-2 for the period, the teams went in to halftime in a scoreless tie.
Paul Vasconcelos' club thought it took command in the opening moments of the second half. A would-be goal for Veronica Halen at 47:15 was nullified due to an offsides call, leaving the contest scoreless into the 50th minute.
Lesley finally gained the upper hand, albeit briefly, at 57:01, when an Ally Durben (Stow, MA/Nashoba) pass deflected to midfielder Sanchez for her third goal of her freshman campaign, putting the Lynx up 1-0.
However, Daniel Webster, which entered Saturday with four goals in five contests, answered immediately. Clark, the team's leading scorer with two goals, beat goalkeeper Corrine Dasti (Eastham, MA/Dauset) for goal No. 3 on the season, tying the match 1-1.
Waller, meanwhile, was outstanding all day for the Eagles, making 10 saves through the end of the second half, including two clutch stops within 10 seconds at 88:00 to force overtime.
The Eagles came out poised to make the extra frame a quick one. Just 13 second in, Clark broke free for a shot from 25 yards but missed wide right, giving the Lynx new life. Lesley, though, couldn't capitalize, missing four shots in a 10-second span, including a Casey Decareau (Haverhill, MA/Georgetown) header off the crossbar.
The second extra period featured more of the same for Lesley, which failed to cash in on two consecutive corner kicks, the first coming at 103:52. Waller, meanwhile, was impenetrable in net, making three saves of her 16 saves in the second overtime to hand each team its second tie.
For the game, Lesley outshot DWC 33-6 overall and 17-3 in shots on goal. The Lynx took 11 corner kicks, allowing none for Daniel Webster.
Lesley is in action again on Thursday at Edward Field, playing host to NEWMAC foe Wheaton College at 8:00 p.m.