DUDLEY, Mass. – Senior captain Brooke Maher (North Attleboro, Mass.) scored her first goal of the season as the Nichols College women's soccer team fell 2-1 in 2OT to Coast Guard in non-conference action Tuesday afternoon at the Nichols Soccer Field.
 
The Bison were outshot on the day by a wide margin of 41-6 including 25-4 in shots on goal. The Bears controlled the ball for much of the day and held a 16-3 advantage on corner kicks while Nichols found itself offsides eight times – including once in overtime – for the game.
 
Sophomore goaltender Brooke Downey (Middleboro, Mass.) came away with a career-high 23 saves to help the Bison stay alive throughout the game.
 
After playing through a scoreless first half, Coast Guard took the lead in the 54th minute as junior Gabby Auzenbergs (Shrewsbury, Mass.) kicked a through ball at the top of the box that found senior Katie Clark (Sacramento, Calif.) who potted it for her first goal of the season.
 
Maher tied things up at 79:55 when junior Taylor Souza (New Bedford, Mass.) – who now has a point in each game this season – switched the ball through the last defender and Maher took two touches and fired it past sophomore Rachel Boohar (Oxford, Pa.).
 
The game was forced into ultimately double overtime in which the Bears outshot the Bison 10-0 in the extra periods including 7-0 in the second overtime.
 
Sophomore Kali Borden (Milford, Conn.) took a corner kick for Coast Guard and sent it into the box in which Auzenbergs' shot was blocked by senior Morgan Gidley (Dartmouth, Mass.) and then freshman Valerie Hines (Dracut, Mass.) headed in the rebound for her first-collegiate goal and the win.
 
All-Time Series
The Bears now even the all-time series at 3-3-0 with the Bison after Nichols won the first three contest in the series.
 
Quotes
"We came out flat and were flat for the entire game. I'm not disappointed in the loss, I am more disappointed with this match because we didn't look like we came out to play today." – Nichols head coach Sonia Basma
 
"You have to tip your hat off to Brooke for her performance but I'm not sure it is necessarily a great thing that we put her in a position to make that many saves. We shouldn't have had 41 shots against us, but all we can do is brush it off and get ready for Saturday." – Basma on Downey making 23 saves
 
Next Games
Nichols (0-3) – Saturday, September 10 @ Salve Regina, 12:00 p.m.
Coast Guard (1-0-1) – Saturday, September 10 @ Mary Washington, 12:30 p.m.