Koalas battle back to down AAC leading Lions in OT

YOUNTS STADIUM, SC - Not for the first time in the 2017 season, the Columbia College Koalas showed great resilience to fight back from two goals down to beat the visiting Bryan College Lions on Saturday afternoon at Younts Stadium.

Coming off their first victory during the week against Brenau, the Koalas welcomed the AAC leading Lions, who had defeated their first two AAC opponents by a resounding 12-0 margin. Early on, it looked to be heading in the same direction for Bryan, as they scored two goals in the first forty minutes of the match to take a 2-0 lead.

The momentum changed just before halftime, however, and the goal came from an atypical source. Junior Courtney Carrier battled for the ball down the right hand side, and having won it, fired a cross into the box which was met by fellow Junior Jaena Dominguez on the half volley for her first career goal.

The second half was back and forth between the two teams, with the Lions sitting deeper and absorbing pressure and then counterattacking the ever more attacking Koalas. Through effort and desire, the Koalas found an equalizer, and not for the first time in the season it was very, very late into the game.

With just over five minutes remaining, Junior Ruby Hallam played a through ball to Senior Alexis Cesario, who calmly slotted it under the onrushing Lions keeper to tie the score 2-2. It was the second time this season Cesario scored a late, game-tying goal.

After their two previous overtime games finishing in ties, however, the Koalas would make the breakthrough just four minutes into the first overtime period. A ball from Freshman Brianna Sandoval found Carrier, and she turned and slotted the ball through to Senior Amber Tanner, who dribbled past the Lions keeper and placed the ball in the open net for the exhilarating 3-2 victory. The goal was Tanner's second game winner, and third total goal of the week, which upped the Koalas AAC record to 2-1. 

For the game, Seniors Katherine Yahnke and Morgan McCray shared time in goal, with McCray posting an important 25 shutout minutes towards the end of the game.

Bryan outshot Columbia 14-11 during the game, with each team forcing the others' keepers into 4 saves.

Columbia returns to more AAC action on Tuesday afternoon when they visit St. Andrews for a 5:30 PM kickoff.