ERIE, Pa. – One moment is all it takes. In front of a large crowd at McConnell Family Stadium on a chilly Saturday night, the Gannon University women's soccer team fought back from two deficits against a No. 11-ranked Edinboro squad and punctuated the evening with a Kayla Bevacqua (Welland, Ontario/Notre Dame) overtime screamer into the net to give the Golden Knights a 3-2 victory.
 
The Fighting Scots came into the contest unbeaten with a 5-0 record, outscoring opponents 9-2, and they proved why almost immediately. In the 2^nd minute, Edinboro's Brittnie Spithaler rocketed in an unexpected shot from outside the box that found its way into the net for a 1-0 Edinboro lead. It would take until the 27^th minute for Gannon to fight back, as Gabby Boden (Butler, Pa./Butler) collected a deflection in the box and hammered it home on the half volley to equalize.
 
Edinboro retook the lead in the 67^th minute off a set piece, as Clare Crossley supplied great service to Lexi Boyk in the box with a cross from the left wind. Boyk finished from close range to put the Fighting Scots up 2-1, but just two minutes later, Gannon was in attack mode again. Jamie Seneca (Plum, Pa./Plum) beat a defender, dribbled into the box, and cut the ball back for Taylor Lewis (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek), who launched a beautiful looping shot from a tough angle that tied the game at two goals apiece. Despite a flurry of action late in the game, including multiple attempts from each team that hit the post and crossbar, time ran out in regulation and overtime was needed to decide things.
 
The Golden Knights, familiar with overtime in recent games (earning two draws in the last 10 days), did not waste time in the extra period. Keeping up the offensive pressure and earning a corner kick, they switched up the usual plan of a Kayla Bevacqua (Welland, Ontario/Notre Dame) cross from the corner flag--and instead, Diante Scheepers (Batavia, N.Y./Radulphus College) delivered the ball short to Bevacqua with plenty of space to shoot, and she surprised the entire Edinboro defense with a brilliant golden goal to seal the Knights' third victory of 2021.
 
The offensive statistics favored the Knights in the game, outshooting Edinboro 18-6. Both teams earned three corner kicks, and the goalkeepers for both teams had to be active and aware but did not face many attempts on-frame.
 
Gannon now earns a seven-day rest and returns to action next Saturday, Oct. 2 at Clarion University.