MONMOUTH, Ore. – Sydney Torres scored her second goal of the season, highlighting Saturday's 1-1 double-overtime draw for the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team against host Western Oregon University in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play at the WOU Soccer Field.
 
Torres's finish came in the 36th minute, but the Wolves' Piper Matson equalized the score in the 52nd minute in the eventual draw. The Yellowjackets moved to 4-3-2 overall on the season and 1-2-1 in GNAC play, while the Wolves improved to 2-5-1 overall and matched MSUB at 1-2-1 in league play.
 
"We are disappointed with the outcome of the game, but I am proud of the team for the way we responded to a tough game on Thursday," said MSUB head coach Stephen Cavallo, citing Thursday's 2-0 setback at Saint Martin's. "We defended like warriors today which is what we asked the team to do. We had some really good moments going forward and created a few clear-cut chances that should have won us the game."
 
The Yellowjackets received comprehensive, 110-minute performances from the defensive trio of Hailee Gertsch, Lexie Bloyder, and Sydney Wate, and goalkeeper Clare Keenan had five key saves to help keep the Yellowjackets in the match.
 
The Yellowjackets won an early corner kick, which resulted in the team's first on-target shot as Bloyder's strike from outside the box was handled by WOU goalkeeper Emily Wheeler. Keenan and Taylor Gertsch worked together on an ensuing counter attack, clearing a dangerous ball inside the goal box before the Wolves could get a shot off.
 
Keenan had a leaping save 10 minutes into the match, reaching out her left arm to knock away a header by Hannah Rispler that was on target from within the six-yard box.
 
The Yellowjackets' lone goal in the match was built from the back, with Keenan, Gertsch, and Vendela Andersson possessing the ball in the defensive third. Andersson fed a long ball past the midfield line to Maddie Smith, who turned and slotted a left-footed pass towards the goal box for Torres to run onto. The junior took it from there, creating space among a pair of defenders and finishing a low, left-footed strike inside the far post from the top of the box.
 
Torres's finish gave the Yellowjackets the advantage heading into the halftime break, but the Wolves didn't wait long to equalize coming out of the locker rooms. Taking advantage of a mishit pass from the Yellowjacket back line, Matson intercepted the ball with momentum and took one touch before easily finishing in a 1-on-1 against Keenan to even the score at 1-1. "Unfortunately, we had a big mistake and gave them a goal," Cavallo said. "In that regard it feels like two points dropped instead of one point gained."

Both sides had chances for the remainder of the match, but neither could find the back of the net in the double-overtime affair.
 
The Wolves had a prime scoring change with 17 minutes left in regulation, but a strike from Chloe Smith from close range carried high over the crossbar. Smith led the home team with three shots, and placed one on target. Overall the teams were even in shots at 9-9, while MSUB held a slight 6-5 advantage in shots on target.
 
Perhaps MSUB's best chance to take the lead in regulation came with less than four minutes left on the clock, when Torres helped win possession in the midfield leading to a combination of passes from Liberty Palmer to Jordan Roe. The latter laid off a pass for an oncoming Haylee Gunter, but the senior's strike from long range was met by a diving Wheeler to keep the ball out of the net.
 
Jackie Sharpe played a clean through ball towards Palmer less than two minutes into the first overtime period, that led the Yellowjacket forward into the Wolves' goal box. The freshman got loose among a pair of defenders, but WOU's Jada Foster was there for an important intervention with her head on the goal line in what could have otherwise counted as the match-winner.
 
The Yellowjackets defended well for the remainder of the match, and dealt with a last-second free-kick by the Wolves that was served into a crowded goal box. Gunter, Bloyder, and Torres each had a pair of MSUB's six shots on frame, while Palmer had two shots in the match as well.
 
THE BUZZ: Torres was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…Smith's assist was her third of the season…MSUB is now 11-10-5 all-time against WOU and is 3-7-3 in matches played in Monmouth…Saturday marked MSUB's second overtime match of the year, with the other being a 1-1 draw against University of Mary on Sept. 6.
 
COMING UP: The Yellowjackets are home next weekend, with GNAC matches against No. 10 Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser next Saturday. Live coverage for next week's games will be available online here.