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Women's soccer wraps up weekend road trip with double-overtime tie against Maryland

September 21, 2014

After a loss to Rutgers on Friday night, MSU bounced back on Sunday and wrapped up its east coast road trip with a double-overtime tie against new conference foe Maryland, 0-0.

The Spartans (6-3-1 overall, 0-3-1 Big Ten) played yet another close game, this time escaping the weekend with a much needed point in the conference standings.

In the first half, Maryland missed a chance to score after a header from junior midfielder Sarah Molina bounced off the left post in the 17th minute.

Maryland had another opportunity to score on a free kick in the 30th minute, but the shot by junior Shannon Collins sailed left of the goal.

In the 42nd minute, Maryland had a breakaway opportunity and MSU junior defender Mary Kathryn Fiebernitz tracked the ball down and prevented the Terrapins from getting off a shot. She took a tumble on the play and needed a little bit of time to get back up.

MSU did not have many scoring chances in the first half and despite the opportunities for Maryland, the teams entered halftime still scoreless at zero.

MSU redshirt senior goalkeeper Courtney Clem made a nice save ten minutes into the second half, as she leaped to catch a dangerously-close entry ball from Maryland.

Like MSU head coach Tom Saxton has stressed multiple times this year, Sunday’s match was another very physical Big Ten game.

Clem went down for the Spartans in the second half, when a Maryland player jumped and whiffed on a header and then collided Clem. It took Clem a few minutes to gather herself after the collision, but she toughed it out and stayed in goal.

On a corner kick less than a minute later, the Terrapins tested Clem again and she came up with a crucial save and stopped a header.

As time ticked away in the second half and the match remained scoreless, the sense of urgency for both teams increased. MSU substituted freshman forward Jamie Cheslik into the game in the 80th minute, trying to take advantage of her speed to get on the board.

Both teams pushed the ball down the field, but neither could break through for a late goal. After 90 minutes, MSU and Maryland were scoreless, and MSU headed into its fourth overtime game of the year.

By failing to get a goal in regulation, MSU extended its scoreless drought to six consecutive halves.

In overtime, Courtney Clem made a huge save seven minutes in, as she dove to her right and stopped a Maryland header. The ball was just inches away from crossing the goal line.

The first overtime ended with no scores, and the teams prepared for another ten minute sudden-death period.

With under a minute left in the second overtime, MSU was granted a free kick opportunity after a Maryland hand ball. Redshirt junior midfielder Kirsten Evans took the shot, but it flew just high of the goal. The overtime and the contest ended, with a 0-0 tie.

With the tie, MSU gained its first point in the conference standings. The team will have a week off before visiting in-state rival U-M on Saturday night.

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