Late Blue Goal Ends in 2-2 Draw at WPI

WORCESTER, Mass. -- First year Marleigh Ausbrooks (Washington, D.C.) and sophomore Remi Fernandez (Valencia, Spain) each scored a goal for the Blue, who earned a 2-2 draw with WPI on Saturday afternoon.

It is the second tie in the past three games for Wellesley, who move to 5-2-2 overall and 1-2-2 in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference play. For WPI, it was the first draw of the year and the Engineers stand at 7-5-1 overall and 1-3-1 in conference action.

WPI wasted little time, as graduate student Sofia Orrico (Bethel, CT) scored an unassisted goal at the 5:51 mark. The chip shot was the third goal of the season for Orrico and gave WPI a 1-0 lead. With under a minute to play in the first half, Ausbrooks found an opening. First year Sabrina Frusco (Spring, Texas) delivered a great pass and Ausbrooks sent a strike past the keeper into the top left corner. The game would be all tied up at 1-1 at halftime.

The Engineers started off the second half as planned, with Orrico scoring her second goal of the game. Her goal once again came unassisted, as Orrico stole a pass and finished. With their backs against the wall, Wellesley found a goal from an unlikely source. Remi Fernandez scored her first career goal in the 72nd minute to tie the match. The goal came off a missed shot by Liz Zhou (McLean, Va.) that hit off the post, and Fernandez took care of the rest. Blue keeper Kendall Lincoln (San Diego, Calif.) made a late save and the game was headed to overtime.

Both teams stepped up defensively in the first overtime period, as only two WPI shots were taken but never a threat. The Blue once again failed to get off a shot in double overtime. Madison Bagby (Aurora, Co.) fired two shots that both went wide for WPI and the game ended in a 2-2 draw.

Wellesley soccer will host MIT on Wednesday, October 13, at 3:00 PM. WPI will play a week from today on the road at Springfield at 3:00 PM.