NAZARETH BATTLES TO 2-2 TIE AT RIT
Golden Flyers now 5-4-1 overall
• BOXSCORE | • CUMULATIVE STATS

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (Oct. 4, 2006) – Senior Jessica Rogers (pictured) scored the game-tying goal with less than two minutes to play in regulation Wednesday as visiting Nazareth settled for a 2-2 tie with RIT in women's soccer.

Nazareth is now 5-4-1 overall and 1-2-1 in Empire 8 Conference action. RIT is 4-4-3 overall and 3-0-1 in conference games.

"I don't know if there's such a thing as a good tie, but this was one," said Nazareth Coach Gail Mann. "It was pretty exciting to get that goal near the end."

Even though they dominated the action and held a 21-6 edge in shots, the Golden Flyers trailed 2-1 until the 89th minute when Rogers scored her first career goal as she headed in a crossing pass from Rachel Cushman. The teams then played two 10-minute overtime periods before the game officially ended in a tie. Nazareth had four shots in the overtime periods, but RIT goalie Ashley Conti made three saves to preserve the deadlock.

"We had lots of chances," Mann said, "but it was wet and rainy and the field conditions were poor, so that worked against us."

The teams played a scoreless first half, then RIT's Emily Traversi scored in the 51st minute to snap the tie. Nazareth tied the score seven minutes later when senior Jessemyn Russell scored her first goal of the season.

The score didn't stay tied for long as RIT's Alaina Chorney scored unassisted just 21 seconds after Russell's goal. RIT stayed ahead until 1:56 remained and Rogers tied the score for the Golden Flyers.

The tie creates something of a bottleneck in the Empire 8 Conference standings with Nazareth currently sitting sixth at 1-2-1. Ithaca (4-0), RIT (3-0-1), St. John Fisher (3-1), Hartwick (2-2) and Utica (2-2) are all in front of the Golden Flyers. That makes Saturday's home game against Hartwick at 1 p.m. a virtual must-win for the Golden Flyers, who need to finish in the top four to participate in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament next month.