Box Score

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Southern Connecticut State University women's soccer team and American International faught each other tooth and nail on Saturday night, but it was the Yellow Jackets coming away with a 1-0 overtime victory.

With the loss, the Owls fall to 3-7 overall and 3-5 in the NE-10, while AIC improves to 7-4 and 6-2.

The only goal was scored off a free kick from about 25 yards out. Romina Bell sent the kick into the middle of the box where Frederica Frew was able to connect with a header past Erica Ridella for the only goal of the game.

Ridella (Warwick, N.Y.) made five saves in the loss. She and the Owls' back line had the task of defending Alyssa Werbicki, who has seven goals on the year, good for third in the NE-10. SCSU shut down Werbicki, holding one of the prolific goal scorers in the conference to just one shot.

Southern Connecticut hung with AIC all night. The Owls fired 12 shots compared to 10 for AIC. They had a chance to score early in the first half off a corner kick. Caroline Staudle (New Windsor, N.Y.) headed the kick from Maeghan Howard (Bethany, Conn.) toward the far post of the goal, but AIC keeper Rachel Edgin dove to her left and reached above her head to make a fingertip save.

Later in the 60th minute, the Owls had another chance to score off a corner kick. Howard's kick came into the center of the box where it eventually fell to the ground after Deanna Ryan (Highland Falls, N.Y.) was pushed out of the way of a header attempt and Betti Worth (Bolton, England) got bumped down by Edgin with the ball at her feet. AIC ended up clearing the ball.

Howard and Victoria Conde (Madrid, Spain) paced the Owls with two shots on goal each. Worth, Staudle and Victoria Buonanni (Durham, Conn.) chipped in with one apiece.

Southern Connecticut returns to action next week when they travel to Le Moyne on Wednesday and host Merrimack on Saturday.