Ibarra's 2OT Winner Sends Wellesley Soccer Past WPI, 1-0

WORCESTER, Mass. -- Sophomore Deyanira Ibarra (Los Olivos, Calif.) scored the only goal of the game at 107:33 of the second overtime to lift Wellesley College soccer to 1-0 victory over WPI in a New England Men's and Women's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) match on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.  

The Blue improve to 6-8-2 overall and 5-4 in the NEWMAC and are currently tied for third place in the conference standings with one league game left to play. WPI falls to 10-6-1 on the season and 4-3-1 in the NEWMAC.

After over 107 scoreless minutes, Ibarra netted her third game-winning goal of the season when she broke away from a defender and beat WPI junior goalkeeper Gabriela Hoops (Stonington, Conn.) with a shot from the top of the penalty area at 107:33. Hoops had three saves in the contest and is now 7-3-1 on the season. Wellesley sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Reckley recorded her sixth shutout of the season, making seven saves to improve to 6-8-2 on the year.   

WPI applied pressure late in regulation and had an opportunity in the 87th minute, as senior Karina Larson's (Storrs, Conn.) free kick made it through the wall only to be blocked. Wellesley senior Zoe Matticks (Minneapolis, Minn.) nearly ended the game in the first OT but the ball took an unlucky hit off the left post. WPI outshot the Blue 16-12, with ten of the sixteen shots coming in the second half. WPI also held the advantage in corner kicks, 5-3.  

Wellesley will finish the NEWMAC regular season on Tuesday, October 24, when they travel to Babson for a 3:30 PM kickoff. WPI will travel to MIT on Tuesday for a 4:00 PM match.