CHICAGO (10/28/16) – Senior midfielder
Carley Rice erased a one goal deficit with two goals, one in the second half and the game-winner in overtime, as the University of Detroit Mercy women's soccer team recorded a 2-1 comeback win over UIC on Friday night from Flames Field in the Windy City.
The Flames took a lead with just seconds remaining in the opening frame, before Rice struck with a pair of goals after the break. The first came in the 64
th minute after collecting a loose ball and firing into the net and the golden goal came just 1:15 into overtime after classmate
Anna Mindling found Rice in the center of the box for the score.
With the win and a Valparaiso triumph at NKU, the Titans leapfrog the Norse and secure the 2-seed in the Horizon League Tournament next week. Detroit Mercy will receive a first round bye and play Thursday night in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The goals were Rice's third and fourth goals of the season and marks the second time in 2016 that the senior has scored a pair of goals in a single match, with the other coming against Youngstown State.
The Titans out-shot the Flames 16-11 in the match, despite UIC holding a 7-5 edge in shots on goal and 8-5 advantage in corner kicks.
Detroit Mercy's defense came up huge in the win, drawing the Flames offside four times and making two team saves at the goal line. Junior goalkeeper
Marina Manzo made four saves, including a pair during a frenzied finish to regulation.
The Titans end the regular season at 10-6-2 overall and 6-1-2 in Horizon League play. Detroit Mercy, who was selected to finish seventh in the conference in the preseason poll, finishes in second place. To accomplish the feat, the Titans won eight of their last 10 games and went 8-1-2 over the final 11 games of the season.
Detroit Mercy will return to the Horizon League Tournament semifinals for the sixth time in the last seven years on Thursday, Nov. 3 in Milwaukee, and will await the results of the first round games on Monday.
