JACKSON – It was a tale of two halves; and it still wasn't enough to decide the outcome on Tuesday night between the Millsaps Majors and the Belhaven Blazers. The two teams had to play extra soccer before sophomore Whitney Murchison found the golden goal with 25 seconds remaining in the first overtime to give the Majors the 3-2 win and snap a three game skid.
It was all Millsaps (2-3) in the first half as they controlled possession while taking six shots. They got on the board in the first 45 seconds of the game when a deflected cross came back to freshman Taylor Winslow who floated a beautiful ball right over goalkeeper Nicole Walsh's head to give the Majors a 1-0 lead. It was Winslow's third goal of the season.
Only 15 minutes later, Millsaps struck again when junior Susan Harmon was there to rebound a save and put it away for her first goal of the season. Millsaps continued to put pressed on the Blazer defense as they earned five corner kicks. The Majors went into the half leading 2-0.
Millsaps thought they were going to put the game away for good in the first ten seconds of the second half when junior Margaret Eggers broke away from her defender with a clear shot on goal. However, a tremendous save by Walsh kept the score as is.
From then on, it was all Belhaven (1-3-1) in the second half. The Blazers dominated possession taking 13 shots in the half and earning two corner kicks (Millsaps earned zero). In the 52nd minute, Christin Kaim came up with a turnover and broke away towards goal, getting the shot by a diving Molly Beth Jourdan to cut the deficit to one.
Belhaven attacked hard as the Millsaps defense continued to hold throughout the second half. With less than five minutes remaining in the game, controversy struck as a handball called on sophomore Tara Johnston was called inside the box, giving the Blazers a penalty kick.
Krista Brizeno went right and scored the goal for Belhaven on the PK to tie the game at two and send it into overtime.
In overtime both teams went back and forth and it seemed a second overtime was inevitable as the clock got under 30 seconds. The Majors forced a turnover in Belhaven territory followed by a long cross into the box by sophomore Jamie Blair Page which was tipped by Walsh. The ball then came back out to Murchison who found the back of the net for her third goal of the season and a Major victory.
Jourdan was excellent in goal for the night as the senior tallied up seven saves. Winslow and Eggers sent three shots off while Murchison added two.
The Majors remain on their home stretch as they will entertain the Austin College 'Roos in a non-conference contest on Friday, September, 16, at 5 p.m.
