BOX SCORE SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Trailing by two goals with under seven minutes to play, the University of New Haven women’s soccer team rallied to an improbable 4-3 overtime win at Le Moyne on Tuesday. Amber Simms (Southport, England/Southport) notched the 98th-minute golden goal for the Chargers.
 
With the dramatic win, New Haven improves to 5-1-1 on the season with a 2-1-1 mark in Northeast-10 Conference action. The Dolphins drop to 2-3-1 overall and 0-3-1 in conference play.
 
Simms’ game-winner was her first goal of the season in her second contest of 2012. The sophomore led New Haven with six finishers last fall.
 
The Chargers’ first two tallies came courtesy of Lucy Francisco (Lawrence, Mass./Lawrence ). She improved her season total to four goals and 11 points while extending her career marks to 20 goals and 52 points at New Haven. Francisco now sits in a three-way tie for seventh-place on the Chargers’ all-time goals list and all alone in seventh on the career points ledger.
 
The game-tying goal came from Nicole Pacapelli (West Haven, Conn./West Haven / Stonehill College) at 87:26. Her fourth goal of the current campaign and seventh as a Charger marked the second-consecutive match in which New Haven netted an equalizer with under three minutes to play in regulation. On Saturday, Monica Yanez (West Haven, Conn./West Haven) scored in the 88th minute to propel the Chargers to a 3-3 draw against Bentley.
 
The Dolphins got on the board in the 14th minute on a goal from Colleen Oberle assisted by Gabriele Ariola. Christie Morano would add her seventh marker of the fall – a 25th-minute strike – to extend the Le Moyne advantage to 2-0.
 
The New Haven offense was the aggressor in the second half, and the Chargers’ seventh shot of the period – compared to just two for Le Moyne up to that point – finally found pay dirt. Francisco dribbled from the left side of the penalty box and blasted one to the far side and into the back the net to pull the Blue and Gold to within 2-1 in the 78th minute.
 
However, the Dolphins took the marker back just over five minutes later. Kate Deasy netted the goal with Ariola notching her second assist of the match.
 
What appeared to be an insurance goal quickly rose in importance as Francisco struck once again. This time, the senior uncorked a shot from 40 yards out that rattled the cage and shrank the margin back to one at 3-2. The equalizer then came in the 88th minute off the foot on Pacapelli. It was another long blast as Pacapelli let loose from 45 yards deep to tie the score at 3-3 and send the match into overtime.
 
In the extra time, the only shot on goal was the difference as Simms’ attempt from the right corner of the box hit the back of the net and sent the Chargers to a golden goal victory.
 
Natasha Purchla (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) made three saves in her first career start in goal for New Haven. Tori Corsaro turned away four shots for the Dolphins.
 
New Haven stays on the road this weekend, trekking to Stonehill on Saturday, Sept. 22. Action returns to Kayo Field on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 4 p.m. for a meeting with American International.