ALBANY, N.Y. – Junior forward Mariah Shade (Los Bajos, Trinidad & Tobago) scored 54 seconds into the second overtime period to give the 25th-ranked American International College women's soccer team a 1-0 Northeast-10 victory over top-ranked and defending national Champion College of Saint Rose Tuesday Night.
The Yellow Jackets improved to 6-2-2 for the season and 5-1-2 in the NE-10 while recording their fourth consecutive shutout.
The Golden Knights fell to 8-1-1 for the season and 6-1-1 in conference play with the loss. It was their first loss since a 3-0 setback at Merrimack College October 15, 2011. Saint Rose had gone 20-0-1 since.
The first half was virtually even with the Golden Knights holding a slim 5-4 advantage in shots and a 3-1 edge in corner kicks and the Yellow Jackets were able to withstand a second half surge by the Golden Knights to force overtime. Saint Rose outshot AIC 9-2 in the second frame and once again had a 3-1 advantage on corners.
The Yellow Jackets looked to end the game quickly in the first overtime, forcing Saint Rose junior keeper Jessica Gerski (Harbor City, Calif.) to make a pair of saves in the first 2:18 of the period on attempts from freshman midfielder Meimi Tomochika (Toshima-ku, Japan) and junior forward Caroline Boyce (Canterbury, N,H.).
The Golden Knights had they chances in the first overtime as well, both from junior Carmelina Puopolo (Scarborough, Ont.). She fired wide left 40 seconds after Boyce's chance and then forcing AIC sophomore keeper Samantha Tabak (North Haven, Conn.) to make a stop with just three second on the clock.
The game then went to a second overtime and once again the Yellow Jackets forced the issue with Saint Rose, and this time it paid off as Shade touched in a through ball from Boyce into the lower right corner of the goal for her first tally of the season. It was the seventh assist of the year for Boyce.
Tabak finished the game with six saves in all to record her fourth straight shutout, tying the school record for consecutive shutouts, and extending her shutout streak to 437:05. Christina Rinaldi first set the record in 1987 and Cindy Mateus tied the mark in 1998. Gerski made four saves while taking the loss for the Golden Knights.
AIC will return to action Saturday with it travels to Merrimack for a 4 p.m. Northeast-10 contest and Trinidad and Tobago born AIC assistant head coach Kevon Isa is eagerly anticipating another good showing from Mariah Shade.