RICHMOND, Va. – Junior Addie Puskar scored her first collegiate goal and William & Mary women's soccer played a 1-1 draw with VCU in its first match of the 2021 spring campaign on Friday night.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Zoe Doughty came up big her in first collegiate start in net. She registered three saves, including two massive point-blank stops in first overtime period.
 
After a scoreless opening 45 minutes, the Tribe (0-0-1) found its footing offensively in the second half, outshooting VCU, 10-6. W&M came so close to finding the game's first goal twice before Puskar's marker.
 
In the 52nd minute, junior Caroline Monahan lifted a shot over the rushing VCU goalkeeper but the attempt hit the outside of the left post from just 18 yards out. Senior Lauren Kelly appeared to put the Tribe on the board in the 78th minute, scoring off a corner kick but the referee whistled W&M for a foul on the goalkeeper negating the tally.
 
The Tribe pressure finally broke through on Puskar's goal in the 79th minute. The Green and Gold gained possession near the midfield stripe before sending a ball down the left flank. Senior Colleen Norton tracked the cross in the middle of the area, and VCU goalkeeper Brecht Haakma came off her line, colliding with the Tribe striker. The ball fell into the right side of the area where senior Mariana Hershner collected the ball and fed it to the penalty spot where Puskar tucked her shot inside the right post to give W&M a 1-0 lead.
 
VCU (3-0-1) answered just under three minutes later. Lana Golob's shot from distance was parried away by freshman goalkeeper Grace Lemley, who came on as a second half sub. Unfortunately, Samantha Jerabek jumped on the rebound and tie the match at one in the 81st minute.
 
In the first overtime period, VCU generated a pair of scoring chances off free kicks. In the 98th minute, the Rams earned a free kick just outside the top of the penalty area, which they took quickly. The play set Karen Lohrmann free into the left side of the penalty area but Doughty pushed her shot wide from 8 yards out.
 
Less than a minute later, VCU had another free kick chance from the right flank. The cross found Golob open on the back post but again Doughty was there to smother the chance and keep the game knotted at one.
 
Starters
W&M - #19 Doughty (GK), #6 Dailey, #8 Crocco, #10 Shackford, #11 Monahan, #12 Kelly, #14 O'Toole, #20 Miles, #22 Delacruz, #23 Frantz, #30 Norton
VCU - #1 Haakma (GK), #2 Bagley, #3 Kershner, #11 Ferguson, #12 Jerabek, #13 McAdams, #17 Guthrie, #18, Gutzmer, #21 Lohrmann, #24 Diorio, #26 Golob
 
Quotable
"I thought it was an incredibly hard-fought performance for our first time out in 15 months. Both individual and team defending was great and our work rate was great. We have some work to do in the attack, but I felt good for our first time out against a team with three games under their belts. It was really tough to have the goal called back, but we didn't have the best angle on it and they said there was a foul on the goalkeeper. Both Addie Puskar and Mariana Hershner were game changers off the bench, and obviously combined for the goal. Zoe Doughty was great in goal and came up with some big saves in the first half and overtime. I thought for the most part it was an exciting game back and forth and hopefully, enjoyable to watch. It was a good starting point for us on the year." – W&M head coach Julie Shackford
 
By the Numbers
- Both teams finished with 16 shots on the night, including five apiece on frame.
- VCU totaled six corner kicks compared to three for W&M.
- Freshmen Elaina Longjohn and Ginny Delacruz led the Tribe with four shots apiece.
 
News and Notes
Sophomore goalkeeper Zoe Doughty made her first collegiate start and tallied three saves in 65 minutes … Freshman Grace Lemley came on in the second half and finished with a saves in 45 minutes … Along with Doughty, junior Caroline Monahan and freshman Ginny Delacruz earned their first collegiate starts … Junior Addie Puskar scored her first collegiate goal, while senior Mariana Hershner notched her first collegiate assist.
 
Up Next
The Tribe returns to action in two weeks when it travels to Charleston for its first CAA match of the season on Saturday, March 13, at noon.