LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. - The Lady Lions soccer team played a tough 2-2 tie in thier home opener against Alderson-Broaddus University on Friday afternoon with Freshman Goalkeeper Chloe Grice (Lancashire, UK/Runshaw HS) making numerous saves to keep the Battlers from scoring.

The stadium erupted as Christian Harris (Rochester, NY/The Aquinas Institute) scored the equalizing goal with 4 minutes left on the clock in regulation time to force overtime play. "Christian opened her collegiate account at the best possible time. You could see the response from the crowd. This was fantastic" said Head Coach Fabio Boateng. In what seemed to be a loss in the season home opener, a goal mouth melee resulted in the ball falling in front of Harris. Her kick went through a forest of legs before entering the net to tie the game at 2-2. "It feels absolutely amazing to score my first collegiate goal" Harris said. "This is total team effort and I salute my team mates" she continued.

Alderson-Broaddus started the game in quick tempo earning a corner kick in the 2^nd minute which was wasted. The attack from the visitors continued throughout the early stages but Chloe Grice (Lancashire, UK/Runshaw HS) who stood in the sticks for the Lions made crucial saves to keep the game barren. Lincoln had its first shot at the 13^th minute mark. The game became a back and forth affair from this point with some end to end action. Alanna Van Ness (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway HS) who was playing in an unfamiliar role in defense with able support from Averri Glenn (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway HS) on the wings was a delight to watch. Workaholic Haley Hendricks (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad HS) and Audrey Smylie (Baltimore, MD/Western HS) took turns to play the "Makelele" role to perfection. With two out and out forwards and a link-man in the caliber of Tara O'Brien (Twickenham London, UK/St. Mark's Catholic School), the Lions were a threat any time they surged forward.

With solid defending and good goalkeeping from both teams, the first half was destined to go scoreless before disaster struck. A harmless clearance from the heart of Alderson-Broaddus defense saw the ball fall to Brooke Hunsaker who fed Olivia Augustine to finish from close range in the 38^th minute. And there was immediate response from the Lady Lions right from the restart. Lincoln earned a corner kick within a minute after conceding the goal. A Haley Hendricks (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad HS) corner was knocked home by defensive stalwart Emily Woodruff (San Diego, CA/Madison HS) to end the first half 1-1.

Alderson-Broaddus took the lead for the second time in the contest through a deflected corner kick. An in-swinger from the left side of the field deflected off the body of a Lincoln player and went straight into her own net. The own goal was a catalyst to test the character of this young team which they passed with distinction. The total team effort was not rewarded until the 86^th minute when Harris poked the ball from 6 yards out to send the game to overtime. Both teams could not alter the score after some astonishing saves from Chloe Grice (Lancashire, UK/Runshaw HS) to bring an exciting 110minutes of pure soccer to an end.

The Lady Lions will be in action again on their home field at 4:00pm on Wednesday September 18, 2013.