Sports > August 28, 2008

By Hailey Robbins | Staff writer

The No. 21 ranked Demon Deacons pulled through in the eighth minute of overtime to beat Utah 2-1 in their season opener. The No. 21 ranked Demon Deacons pulled through in the eighth minute of overtime to beat Utah 2-1 in their season opener.

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Sophomore Bianca D’Agostino dribbles against a Vanderbilt defender. Next up the Deacons travel to Florence, S.C., Aug. 29 to play Francis Marion before hosting UNC-Wilmington in their home opener Aug. 31. (Allison Lange/Old Gold & Black)

The Lady Deacs out-played and out shot Utah 21-6, maintaining an offensive position the majority of the game. Utah struck first at the 11:54 mark, when striker Kelly Isleib received a cross, sliding past sophomore goalie Amanda Barasha’s right post.

A mere seven minutes later the Demon Deacons tied the score 1-1 with a long pass from junior Kaley Fountain to fellow junior Jill Hutchinson, who needled her way past the Utes defense and deflected her tying goal off the keeper, and into the net.

Tied at the close of the first half, the Deacons spent the entirety of the second half peppering the Utah goal with shots, offering more than three times the number of shots to the Utah goalie than on Barasha.

With mere minutes left in regulation, the Lady Deacs had a good chance at seizing victory when sophomore Bianca D’Agostino sent a corner kick toward Hutchinson, who headed the ball off the cross bar. In the 89th minute, the Deacs had a free kick opportunity from just outside the box, but Barasha’s ball sailed high and wide of the net.

In the eighth minute of the first overtime period senior midfielder Amy Smerdzinski played a ball to junior Allie Sadow in the box. Sadow fired from seven yards out and beat the diving Utah goalkeeper to seal the season-opening win for the Demon Deacons.

The Lady Deacons look to continue their winning ways Aug. 29 in Florence, S.C., at Francis Marion.

Head Coach Tony da Luz thinks the combination of veteran players and extremely talented newcomers can put his team in position to do just as the men’s team has and win championships.