OLYMPIA, Wash. – With two goals in the final seven minutes of regulation, the 20th-ranked Westminster Griffins mounted a furious comeback to defeat the Evergreen Geoducks, 3-2, in the 105th minute of overtime to earn the victory in a non-conference women’s soccer match on Saturday at Evergreen Pitch in Olympia, Wash.

The Geoducks earned the initial lead in the 17th minute when Bianca Flores (Yakima, Wash./Yakima Valley CC) fed in a ball to Katie Mendoza (Buriern, Wash./Highline CC), who finished from about eight yards out for her first goal of the year.  Flores made it 2-0 in the 29th minute when she took the pass from Kori Lerch (Chester, Va./Matoaca HS) and fired in a shot from 15 yards out for her first goal of the season.

Evergreen continued to hold off the nationally-ranked Griffins for most of the second half but the Griffins turned up the offensive pressure, outshooting the green and white by a total of 13-4 in second period.  The offensive onslaught finally paid off in the 84th minute as Jaime Nelson supplied a ball to Justine Jones, who headed it in to get Westminster back within one.

Jones again played hero with just 46 seconds remaining in regulation as she fired a shot across the goal from about five yards out that snuck past Geoduck keeper Kaitlin MacKenzie (Lake Stevens, Wash./Shoreline CC) for the equalizer.

After a scoreless first overtime, the Griffins put in the game winner in the 105th minute as Margo Hickman fed in a ball from the right side and Nelson put the forehead square on the ball and past MacKenzie for the 3-2 overtime win.

Westminster finished the match with a 22-11 advantage on shots.  The Griffins were also whistled offside nine times, compared with just three for the Geoducks.  Jaime Wilkinson earned the win, making two saves.  Despite taking the loss, MacKenzie had a strong match in net, making nine saves for the Geoducks.

Evergreen will now turn their attention towards conference play as they open the CCC season on Friday, traveling to Southern Oregon.  Kick with the Raiders is set for 3pm in Ashland, Ore.

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