Moon Township, Pa. / North Athletic Complex-The Robert Morris University women's soccer team generated chance after chance Sunday afternoon, but Duquesne University senior goaltender Gabby Morrin continually stumped the Colonials efforts. After 110 minutes, the two squads had to settle for a 1-1 tie while each team continues to look for the first win of 2010, carrying 0-1-1 records through two games.
Morrin finished the game with 10 saves as the Colonials pelted the Dukes keeper with 19 shots, 13 of which were on net. When the Duquesne netminder wasn't stopping the ball, defender Laura Tlumack was. She turned aside two sure goals just before they crossed the endline.
Robert Morris sophomore keeper Jessica Olin (New Port Richey, Fla. / River Ridge) equaled Morrin's effort, setting aside six shots while only letting a penalty kick beat her.
In the 11th minute, senior Kathleen Caggiano (Moon Township, Pa. / Moon) was set-up by Ayana Davis (Mt. Laurel, N.J. / Holy Cross) on a breakaway to the right side of the box. She beat Morrin with a dribble to the right, but her left-footed shot was cleared at the line by a sliding Tlumack.
Duquesne got the only score of the first half courtesy of a handball in the box by a Robert Morris defender. Kristin Vinicky capitalized on the free chance, burying the shot high and left for a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute.
Robert Morris had an early chance in the second half but Morrin reacted quickly to her left on a hard shot by Davis. Duquesne's Meghan Long then won a ball in the midfield and set up Paige Maroney down the left side. Maroney's shot sailed just wide of the right post. Just four minutes later, Morrin came up with a quick save on a 16-yard shot by freshman Katie Austin (Dallastown, Pa. / Dallastown).
The Colonials found the equalizer in the 80th minute on a play set-up out of the back by freshman Emily D'Italia (Gaithersburg, Md. / Quince Orchard). She found classmate Alexa Sarsfield (Springdale, Pa. / Springdale) down the right side. Her cross was settled by freshman Katie Austin (Dallastown, Pa. / Dallastown) 12 yards from net. Austin gathered and fired, but was turned away by Morrin. She quickly recollected the ball and buried her second chance for her first collegiate goal.
Olin turned the table on the Dukes in the 82nd minute when she extended herself to the left post, turning away Vinicky's attempt from 20 yards out and preserve the tie.
A quick counter-attack in the game's waning seconds nearly gave RMU the win. Davis beat keeper Morrin with a touch to the left, but her shot was again cleared from the line by Tlumack, her second goal-saving play of the game coming with four seconds left in regulation.
After a listless first overtime, Morrin showed she still had something left - and again she stoned Davis. Coming down the right side, Davis tried to fire past the charging keepr, but Morrin was equal to the shot, sliding right and collecting the shot and preserving the tie.
The Colonials host George Washington in a 1:00 p.m. contest Sunday, August 29, at North Athletic Complex.
