NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Amber Simms (Southport, England/Southport) scored the game-tying goal in the 78th minute to send the University of New Haven women's soccer team into overtime at Merrimack on Saturday, but it was the host Warriors who netted the golden goal to take a 3-2 decision.
 
With the loss, the Chargers fall to 5-2-3 overall and 3-2-2 in the Northeast-10. Merrimack improves to 5-2-2 with a 3-1-2 conference tally.
 
Courtney Marra (New Fairfield, Conn./Immaculate) started the scoring in the 15th minute, redirecting a pass from Simms into the back of the net to put the Chargers on top, 1-0. The goal was Marra's first of the fall and the third of her collegiate career.
 
The Warriors would tie the match in the opening half on the first goal of the season by Marissa Maiolo set up by a Jordan Schnopp assist. The 1-1 deadlock held into the 72nd minute. Sami Brady took a feed from Sarah Wooley and buried it for her second goal of the season, putting Merrimack on top for the first time at 2-1.
 
Simms' ninth goal of the season came in the 78th minute as she created her own opportunity and beat Merrimack goalkeeper Nicole Curtis to knot the match at 2-2 and send it into an extra session. The three-point day for Simms pulls her into a tie for the Northeast-10 lead with nine goals and slots her in second place in the conference with 22 total points. She also moves into the top 20 in the New Haven record book in both single-season goals and points.
 
For her career, Simms now stands in a tie for 12th place in program history with 17 goals and ranks 15th in total points with 42.
 
After the first 10-minute overtime elapsed without a goal, it took just 25 seconds of the second extra frame for Merrimack to bury the game-winner. Danielle Dion took a feed from Jackie Sullivan and slipped it into the bottom right corner of the net to give the home team a 3-2 victory.
 
Moriah Saidel (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee) went the distance and made 10 saves for the Chargers, while Curtis turned away six shots for Merrimack.
 
Today's match was the second of three-straight road contests for the Chargers. New Haven will travel to nearby Southern Connecticut State on Tuesday, Oct. 8 before returning to Kayo Field to host Franklin Pierce on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. The match with the Ravens will be broadcast live in high definition and free of charge on NewHavenChargers.com.