SPOKANE, Wash. – In the regular-season finale, Santa Clara women's soccer beat Gonzaga 3-2 in double overtime Saturday afternoon. For the second time this season the Broncos scored the game winner with less then 10 seconds left in the second overtime period.
Julie Vass led the Broncos (13-5-2, 6-1-2 WCC) with a pair of goals for the second straight game but it was Jenna Holtz who scored the game-winner that sent the Broncos to their fourth overtime win in five extra session contests.
Ashley Doyle and Grace Cutler each had an assist for Santa Clara. Andi Tostanoski picked up seven saves. The Zags (2-13-5, 1-7-1 WCC) were led by a goal from Heather Johnson and one from Karley Baggerly. Jodi Ulkekul collected an assist. Christie Tombari made six saves.
"It's not that often that you have wins with less than 10 seconds left in our sport and we've had two of them this year," said Santa Clara head coach Jerry Smith. "I'm really proud of our team for showing how well they can come back from adversity. Gonzaga knew it was their last game and it was senior day. We were down late and found a way to not only tie but to win. This is a game we can grow and learn from.
The Broncos jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute. Doyle sent a low through ball to Vass into the box who took a touch and finished to the far post.
Gonzaga evened the score at 1-all in the 39th minute. Johnson took a pass from just outside the box and used a spin move to free herself from the defender. She blasted a low shot from the top of the box to the far post and into the back of the net.
The Bulldogs took a short-lived lead in the 74th minute off the foot of Johnson. She took a pass from Ulkekul at the top of the box and found the back of the net.
Santa Clara tied the game on the second tally of the day and team-best eighth of the season from Vass. She gathered the ball in the box in the 82nd minute and dribbled around Tombari to make the game 2-all.
With time winding down, the Broncos continued their last game heroics on a desperation play. Holtz received the ball at the top of the box from Cutler and after a touch used the outside of her foot to sneak the ball past the diving keeper and into the net for the win.
"The final goal was almost desperations time. It was the soccer version of a Hail Mary," said Smith. "The ball fell to Jenna Holtz but she still had to do some work to get it past their goalkeeper. The shot was put in the perfect place and it had to be because of how well their keeper played."
Next up is the NCAA selection show on Monday at 1:30 p.m. Fans can watch the selection show on NCAA.com.
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