RICHMOND RALLIES IN CLOSING MINUTES, STUNS VCU IN DOUBLE OT, 3-2
10-20-09
Box Score

RICHMOND, Va. – Richmond used three late, unanswered goals to stun hard-luck Virginia Commonwealth University, 3-2 ,in double overtime Tuesday at Cary Street Field.

The Spiders’ Megan Thompson completed UR’s unlikely rally when she finished off a two-on-one breakaway in the game’s 94th minute.

Richmond outshot VCU(8-7) in regulation, 19-5, but Rams’ junior Marle van Dessel (Oisterwijk, Netherlands) (pictured, above) scored two goals off penalty corners to give the opportunistic Black and Gold a 2-0 advantage.  

However, with 6:18 remaining, Thompson pulled the Spiders (9-7) within 2-1 with her first goal of the night.  Four minutes later, during a UR penalty corner, Hannah Hess provided the equalizer when she rifled a low liner from the left wing through a crowd and into the near corner of the cage.  

“It’s all it takes, is 1o minutes of lost mental focus, for a team to take over,” said VCU Head Coach Kelly McQuade. “it’s heartbreaking.”

Overtime has been particularly unkind to the Rams the last two seasons. In all, VCU has lost eight consecutive overtime matches.

“We’re going positive and trying to get them ready to play together for Friday,” said McQuade.

van Dessel provided an offensive spark for the Rams, who were outshot, 27-9 overall. The junior midfielder broke a scoreless tie in the 13th minute when she converted the first of two corners on the evening. van Dessel added another score, her 11th of the season, off a nifty back pass from freshman Kelsey Scherrer (Chesapeake, Va.) in the 53rd minute.

The Rams will return to play on Friday Oct. 23, when they resume conference play with Old Dominion at Cary Street Field at 4 p.m.