Adams heads in OT game-winner for Salve Regina

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina sophomore midfielder Lea Adams (Sandwich, Mass.) headed in a corner kick from senior back Jessica Broadhurst (Scarborough, Maine) in the 97th minute to give the Seahawks a 2-1 overtime victory against the visiting Falcons of Fitchburg State University on Reynolds Field.

Salve Regina improves to 5-5-0 on the season while Fitchburg State falls to 2-7-0. The Falcons have lost seven straight although they were shutout in the previous six defeats.

Seahawks leading scorer, freshman Abby McMackin (Walpole, Mass.), scored an unassisted goal, her eighth of the season, in the fifth minute of the contest to give Salve Regina a 1-0 lead. Salve Regina dominated possession and shots on goal in both halves, but could not get another goal in regulation.

Salve Regina totaled nearly twice as many shots (25-13) and five times the number of corner kicks (10-2).

Trailing 1-0 in the second half, Falcons' junior Nicole Hallett (Canton, Mass.) launched a high kick from 35 yards away and the ball just eluded the outstretched hands of Seahawk goalkeeper Carly Pala (Milford, Conn.). Hallet's first goal of the season ended a six-game scoreless drought for the Falcons. Fitchburg State had been undefeated when scoring a goal; first two games of the season wins against Bay Path (1-0) and Becker (2-1).

In the closing seconds of regulation, Fitchburg State had its two corner kick opportunities with the ball going uncovered initially on the first before Seahawks were able to clear.

Broadhurst executed a pair of corner kicks in the overtime period, one from each corner, and found Adams on the second attempt for the sophomore's first goal of the season. It was Adams' first game-winning goal of her career.

Pala made six saves for her fifth victory while Morgan Steele (Somerset, Mass.) stayed busy with 16 saves and many long punts and goal kicks.

Salve Regina hosts Wentworth Institute of Technology on Saturday (3 p.m.), the later game in a twinbill with the Leopards. Fitchburg State will be in action again on Saturday as it hosts the Lancers of Worcester State University for a contest starting at 10 a.m.