Wellesley Soccer and Montclair St. Play to Rain-Soaked 3-3 Tie

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Sophomore Carley Phillips (Waterford, Conn.) scored a pair of goals and classmate Hannah Knoll (Boise, Idaho) netted the first of her career, as Wellesley College soccer and Montclair State University played to a rain-soaked 3-3 tie on Sunday at the Wellesley Fields Complex. 

The Blue move to 1-0-1 on the year with the result. Visiting Montclair St. is now 0-0-2 after opening the season with back-to-back ties.

Montclair got the scoring started in the first half when sophomore Maddy McLelland (Toms River, N.J.) found space and deposited her first of the season at 9:05. Trailing early, the Blue responded with three unanswered goals, eventually taking a 3-1 lead with 19:50 left in regulation.

Phillips netted her first to tie the contest at 26:15. Knoll followed with her first goal in 14 career appearances, as she volleyed a shot off the crossbar from first year Ella Matticks (Minneapolis, Minn.) past Montclair junior goalkeeper Molly Barrow (Ramsey, N.J.). Matticks recorded her first career assist on the play. Wellesley carried the lead into the half and eventually jumped ahead by two goals at 70:10 when Phillips took advantage of a giveaway on the backline. 

The Red Hawks cut the lead to one at 77:07, when senior Tyler Madison (Parsippany, N.J.) found first year Melanie Cunha (Warren, N.J.) with a cross. Madison then set up McLelland for the game-tying goal at 81:28, sliding a great through ball on to the sophomore forward for the finish to tie the game, 3-3. 

Each side got one shot on target in the overtime periods but could not break the tie. Barrow recorded a pair of saves in the contest. For the Blue, sophomore Olivia Reckley (Grosse Ile, Mich.) made five saves. Montclair finished the contest with a 25-8 lead in shots, taking 18 combined in the second half and overtime. The Red Hawks also collected all eight corner kick opportunities in the match.

Both teams return to the field on Wednesday, September 6. Wellesley will host the University of New England at 4:00 PM, while Montclair will play on the road at Brooklyn College at 6:00 PM.