Shields' Overtime Strike Completes Comeback Win

BOONE, N.C. – The rain was coming down all afternoon, but the sun eventually shone on the Little Rock soccer team as they completed a comeback for a 3-2 overtime victory at Appalachian State on Friday.
 
Shannon Shields scored the game-winning goal – her first goal of the season – with just 1:09 remaining on the stadium clock in the second overtime. The Trojans (8-6-0, 3-3-0 Sun Belt) celebrated on the home turf of the Mountaineers (6-7-2, 1-4-2) as a mere 69 seconds separated the teams from a 2-2 draw.
 
Trailing 2-0 after 30 minutes, the Trojans got a goal 11 minutes later from Doro Greulich to cut the Mountaineers' lead to 2-1. Twenty-one minutes into the second half, the Trojans tied the contest at 2-2 with a strike from Arola Aparicio.
 
Neither team was able to break the tie for the final 24 minutes of regulation nor the first 19 minutes of overtime until Shields capped the comeback.
 
Little Rock committed a foul near midfield with about 1:30 left on the clock, and Appalachian State's midfielder opted to restart the play quickly. She passed the ball right to a Trojan, who knocked the ball forward to Quin Wilkes. Wilkes settled the ball, looked up and found a streaking Shields. The pass was weighted perfectly, and Shields ran past two defenders as she lined up a shot for the bottom right corner of the net.
 
Trailing 2-0, Little Rock got back into the contest in the 41st minute when Greulich scored her second goal of the season and one of the prettiest goals of the year for the Trojans. With the ball bouncing in front of her nearly 30 yards from goal, Greulich ripped a curving shot into the left side of the net that caught the Mountaineers' keeper by surprise.
 
The Trojans tallied the equalizer in the 66th minute as Arola Aparicio got her second goal of the year. Streaking into a dangerous area, Aparicio received an on-target long pass from Shannon Shields. Aparicio did not miss her chance, striking the ball into the left side of the net to tie the game at 2-2.
 
Sara Small made five saves including a crucial stop just one minute into the first overtime period. The Mountaineers' Sam Steyl made nine saves.

Little Rock dominated in total shots on the stat sheet, taking 28 to Appalachian State's 13. The Trojans also put 12 shots on goal compared to the Mountaineers' seven. App, however, did lead the Trojans 8-1 on corner kicks.
 
Little Rock will stay in Boone for a Sunday morning game against Coastal Carolina. The game – moved from South Carolina to North Carolina because of Hurricane Matthew – is scheduled for 11 a.m. central.