Purvine Blasts Overtime Winner in Season Opener

LITTLE ROCK – Jaclyn Purvine was the hero for Little Rock in its season opener, scoring a goal four minutes into overtime to give the Trojans a 2-1 victory over rival Central Arkansas.

Purvine scored her game-winner in the 94th minute, getting into space in the Trojans' half. Still a long distance from goal but with no one challenging her, the junior blasted an ambitious shot into the top right corner of the net over a leaping Lauren Mercuri to give the Trojans the victory.
 
Little Rock (1-0) got its other goal from Arola Aparicio in the first half, and freshman Megan Swanson got her first career victory and made five saves against the Bears (0-1).
 
Aparicio put Little Rock on the board in the 13th minute when she beat out UCA defenders to get on the end of a long, looping Doro Greulich pass. Aparicio kept the ball in the air, knocking it high over Bears keeper Anna Hughes who had come far out of her net to make a play on the initial pass.
 
In the 74th minute, Hadley Dickinson evened the game when she got on the end of a long clearance pass by Swanson. The keeper made a play in a crowded area outside the box to clear a ball away from her net, but Dickinson ran right into the clearance pass and launched the ball from distance into the net.
 
In total, Little Rock outshot UCA 18-12. Besides Swanson, Trojan newcomers Morgan Smocovich, Lillian Davis and Liesa Seifert also got starts while Bergros Ásgeirsdóttir, Erna Guðjónsdóttir and Camilla Olsson played their first minutes for the Trojans.
 
Little Rock is back in action on Sunday, facing Memphis on the road. The Trojans and Tigers kick off at 7 p.m.