DeLand, Fla. - After 110 minutes of action in the heat and humidity, as well as a 40 minute lightning delay, the Stetson women's soccer team played to a 2-2 tie with Atlantic Sun Conference rival Jacksonville Sunday at the Stetson Soccer Complex. Stetson is now 7-6-1 overall and 3-2-1 in the A-Sun while JU is 6-6-2 and 3-1-2 in conference play.
Senior Heather Berg (Fort Myers, Fla.) score her fifth goal of the season and sophomore Courtney Jenista (Pensacola, Fla.) scored her second to lead the offensive attack. Goalkeeper Andrea Garavaglia (Webster Groves, Mo.) made three saves for the Hatters.
All four goals in the 2-2 tie were scored in the first 23:01 of the game.
Jacksonville struck first with a goal in the 4th minute of play Eva Leeper (Weston, Fla.) scored with an assist from Lisa Hensley (Clovis, Ca.).
In the 12th minute Jenista answered with a pretty goal set up by Tessa Gavilsky (Granite City, Ill.). Dribbling from right to left through the box Gavilsky placed a perfect pass to the left corner with the outside of her right foot that reached Jenista just before the keeper arrived. Jenista wasted no time and put the ball into the lower left side to tie the game.
For Gavilsky, it was her third assist of the week to go along with two goals. She has now moved back into the scoring lead in the A-Sun with 22 points (8 goals, 6 assists) on the season.
A little over four minutes later the JU regained the lead when the same two Dolphins switched roles. This time it was Hensley scoring with an assist from Leeper.
Finally, one second into the 24th minute Berg scored the equalizer with an assist going to Katie Bitetto (Jacksonville, Fla.). Bitetto made a run down the right flank and delivered a cross to the box. Berg pounced and hit a one-timer that rolled toward the right post and deflected in and just over the line.
"We did not start the game well and I give JU a lot of credit for taking advantage with two early goals", said Stetson Head Coach Julie Orlowski. "Our leaders responded well to each goal by answering early. Four goals in 23 minutes is a very hectic pace."
In the end Stetson finished with an 18-15 advantage in shots and a 4-2 lead in corner kick opportunities.
"I thought we had some great chances to take the lead pinning JU in their own end for several periods of time but they did not break", said Orlowski. "Alexis Hermosa played very well in the back as did Kristen Higel."
Next weekend Stetson will travel to Nashville, Tennessee to take on Lipscomb on Friday and Belmont on Sunday.
"We now move on to Nashville and take on Lipscomb and first place Belmont. We can go a long way to making the tournament this weekend", added Orlowski.
