Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont University women's soccer defeated Houston Baptist, 1-0, Thursday afternoon from E.S. Rose Park.
Senior Rachel Vernon scored off a header early in overtime to provide the victory. It marks the second overtime win of the season for the Bruins.
After 90 minutes and neither side scoring, the Bruins and Huskies headed into extra time.
Goalie Andrea Leitner, in her second Bruin start, earned the first shutout of the season, recording four saves for the match. The defense remained strong for the entirety of the match successfully clearing the ball when needed and using their space when attacking.
The Bruins controlled the first half of the match recording eight shots and six corner kicks.
In the second half, the Huskies asserted themselves more but were not able to capitalize on their opportunities.
Belmont head coach Heather Henson expressed satisfaction with the Bruins' resiliency and adaptability.
"We needed to be a little bit more dynamic in our attacking third. When their defense shifted back and organized, we needed to make a change and go in a different direction. I thought we did a better job of this in the second half."
Despite the possession in the second half, Henson mentioned the improvement in the Houston Baptist attacking dynamics compared to the first half.
The Bruins finished the game with 14 shots and 10 corner kicks. Leah Firsdon and Rachel Vernon both recorded three shots each for the Bruin attack.
Unlike the victory one week ago vs. Chattanooga which went to the 110th minute, Belmont found glory early in this overtime.
The Bruins capitalized off a corner kick sent into the box by Erin Patterson as Vernon found space in the center of the box able to head it past the Huskies' goalkeeper Karla Ramirez.
"How do we win overtime games, to be Belmont," Henson added. "It's our culture, it's about the battle. Every overtime, we have asked our teams to raise their level one more step. They have done that year after year, and this team match after match. That's all we ask and they bring it."
Next Up
The Bruins will take on Detroit Mercy Sunday, Sept. 5 at 12:00 p.m. at E.S. Rose Park.
