BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Mika Reid's speed and subsequent strike a little over four minutes into overtime was the difference for the Roosevelt women's soccer team, as Reid's 95th minute shot eluded the reach of Holy Cross keeper Aileen Clouse and secured a 1-0 victory for the Lakers at Toyota Park on Saturday.
Olivia Cain made seven saves in goal for the Lakers (5-8-0, 1-5-0 CCAC), who secured the first conference victory in the program's young two-year history.
A scoreless battle extended into overtime, and it seemed on pace to continue that way until Carli Schlaker gathered a ball from midfield and sent a pass toward Reid, who made a nice touch to create space and get free for a run up the left flank that eventually saw her out-sprint a defender and get into a one-on-one situation with Clouse. Reid was able to send the ball in near post, and the sphere landed nicely into the net away from Clouse's reach for the time-stopping golden goal.
The two teams came into the match with near-identical records, and Saturday's tilt proved to be a battle of evenly-matched sides as both squads created fine chances that just missed frame.
Holy Cross (3-9-0, 0-6-0 CCAC) was a bit more aggressive in the first half, and the Saints nearly lit the scoreboard first thanks to the active feet of Mayte Carillo Benavides. The sophomore Chicago-bred striker created serious threats against the Roosevelt defense on numerous occasions, including a segment where she unleashed back-to-back shots that hit the far corner of the crossbar and, after the rebound returned to her possession, the far post. Benavides had six of Holy Cross' shots as the Lakers escaped repeated dangers she concocted in the box.
Other Saint threats were stopped by the hands of Cain and solid Roosevelt marking.
"We definitely dodged some bullets in that first half," said Roosevelt head coach Roland Hahn. "[Holy Cross] knocked it around nicely, put some good pressure on us, created some chances, and we got lucky that we escaped. The post and the crossbar were our friends today. It was nice to get a little bit of luck for a change with the way some of our games have gone."
The offensive pace picked up for Roosevelt, particularly in the second half. Reid was able to unleash a total of six shots, including four on goal, as the Lakers upped their shot total after intermission. Delaney Barrett also had a prime opportunity to get Roosevelt on the board in regulation, as the sophomore beat Clouse, who crept forward and away from the goal line, to send a slow-moving shot trickling across the turf and toward the net. But a Holy Cross defender was able to clear the ball just before it reached the line to keep the game 0-0.
"In the second half our girls figured it out, put a little more pressure on them, forced them into mistakes and we tried to capitalize on them," said Hahn. "That's what we did, and it helped create chances for us."
Hahn also talked about Reid's decisive tally, which was her team-leading sixth of the season.
"Mika has speed and her ability to go to goal, and we've been working with her on just taking those chances," Hahn said. "She has license to go 1v1, and she had a good first touch, sealed off the defender, and this time she showed great composure and she finished."
The clean sheet was the second of the season for Cain and the Lakers.
Roosevelt takes on Purdue Calumet this Wednesday in Munster, Ind.
