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SAVANNAH, Ga. â€" Freshman midfielder Erin O’Rourke’s rebound goal off of the crossbar with 1.1 seconds remaining lifted host Armstrong Atlantic State to an improbable 4-3 season-opening victory over Florida Southern on Saturday afternoon, closing out first day action in the 2008 AASU Pirate Soccer Shootout at AT&T Field.
The Pirates’ game-winning goal literally beat the clock as a foul called on the Mocs with 15 seconds left forced senior Lyndsi Stricklen to simply place the ball on the ground and send it towards goal without setting up a play. Stricklen’s service hit the crossbar and rebounded out in front of Florida Southern keeper Martina Tangen Billing, where O’Rouke was in position to put it in the back of the net as time expired. Officials placed 1.1 seconds left on the clock and as soon as play
restarted, the Pirates (1-0) closed out the victory.
The match started with offensive fireworks from both sides as each team found the net in the first 17 minutes of play. Erin Hopkins put the Mocs (0-1) on the board first with a goal from the nation’s assist leader a season ago, Linda Hoglund, in the 14th minute. AASU tied things up behind senior Brittany Carr, who scored off of an assist from Kristin Burton to tie things up at 1-1 in the 17th minute.
Carr delivered again in the 29th minute, putting the Pirates up by one, scoring off of a cross from O’Rourke. Florida Southern sent the match into halftime tied on a bizarre play in the 38th minute as a free kick from Linda Hoglund looked to be handled cleanly by AASU keeper Tracey Mitchell, but a collision with FSC defender Ashlie Haas forced Mitchell to lose the ball, which rolled into the net for a goal.
The Mocs came out in the second half and controlled play, finally taking the lead in the 69th minute on Hopkins’ second goal of the match, a beautiful shot from the top of the box on a corner kick, with Hoglund picking up her third assist of the match. But just four minutes later, Jamie Craine tied things up for AASU with a goal in the 73rd minute, sending home a loose ball in the box and setting the stage for the last-second heroics.
AASU outshot the Mocs, 16-14, while Mitchell made three saves for the Pirates and Billing made two for the Mocs. Florida Southern had a 6-5 advantage in corner kicks.
