WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Trailing 1-0 just three minutes into the second half, the Monmouth University women's soccer team rallied to knot the score just under nine minutes later and registered the game-winning goal in overtime from junior Dana Costello (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial), en route to a 2-1 victory over Lehigh on The Great Lawn on Friday night.

 

Costello, who recorded her second game-winning tally of the season and the seventh of her career, collected a feed from senior Nicole Close (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Baldwinsville) and fired a shot from the left wing that sailed into the far net over Lehigh goalkeeper Ashley Blanks, 2:53 into the extra session, for the decisive mark.

 

"The winning goal was a complete team effort," stated Costello. "We got the ball up the field, and then Nicole [Close] fought hard to keep the ball in, and not letting it get cleared. Then I saw an opportunity and took it. That was a team goal, more than an individual goal."

 

Monmouth head coach Krissy Turner added, "This is a terrific win at home in front of our home fans. We look forward to building momentum from this as we get closer to NEC play."

 

After a scoreless first 45 minutes, which saw a shot from each team clang off the crossbar, Lehigh went ahead at the 48-minute mark as Murphee Greeley punched in her own rebound off sophomore Jocelyn McCoy's (Crofton, Md./Archbishop Spalding) save, to put the Mountain Hawks ahead 1-0.

 

Monmouth tied the game at 1-1 in the 54th minute when senior Jennie Vartebedian (Blackwood, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) fired a free kick, which was knocked down by the LU wall, collected by sophomore Kim Clemmer (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial), who coasted a volley into the net from 35 yards away.

 

In the first overtime period, Close found Costello for the game-winner at 92:53.

 

In the opening stanza, Lehigh's Emily Korber's free kick from 50 yards out hit the crossbar, and Monmouth freshman Brianne Boyle's (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) service met the same fate. Monmouth, which outshot Lehigh 8-1 in the first half, was robbed on a sequence by both Blanks and Heather Camperson.

 

Monmouth outshot Lehigh (0-4) 15-7 overall, and held a 6-3 edge in corner kick opportunities.

 

Blanks and McCoy each made three saves in goal.

 

Monmouth (2-4) returns to action on Friday, September 14, when the Hawks host Patriot League foe Lafayette College on The Great Lawn at 7:00 p.m.