DANBURY, CT (Oct. 5)  –  Freshman Celia DeVoe (Farmington, CT) scored twice in regulation and assisted on the game-winner in overtime to help lift the Western Connecticut State University women's soccer team to a come-from-behind victory over Plymouth State University Saturday afternoon at the Westside Athletic Complex. 

Western controlled the majority of the action over the first 30 minutes of play, keeping Plymouth State pinned in its own end of the field and out-shooting the Panthers 7-2.  At the 14:42 mark, senior Molly Todd (Epsom, NH) received a pass from junior Emily Bell (Derry, NH) near mid-field, sprinted between two Western defenders, and beat the Western keeper with a shot to the right side of the cage to give Plymouth State a 1-0 lead.  At intermission, the Panthers still held a 1-0 lead. 

Western wasted little time in the second half scoring the equalizer.  Senior Ariana D'Aurio (Cheshire, CT) raced past the Plymouth State defense, taking the ball deep down the left side.  Her centering pass was slightly behind junior Sarah Menta (Newington, CT), but Menta managed to redirect the pass to DeVoe who powered a shot past the PSU keeper to even the score at 1-1. 

With 30 minutes remaining, Plymouth State regained the lead with a little help from the Western defense.  As the ball was being played into the Western end off a high pass, it was misplayed be the Colonial defense.  Todd benefited from the miscue, slipped around the Western defender, and beat the Western keeper for a 2-1 Panther lead. 

With 18 minutes remaining, Western was awarded a corner kick.  DeVoe took the corner from the left side and curled a shot across the face of the cage, over the fingertips of the Plymouth State keeper, and into the right side of the goal to knot the score at 2-2.  Western finished with a 31-7 advantage in shots during regulation, but after 90 minutes the score remained 2-2 and the game headed to overtime. 

In the opening minute of the overtime period, Western wasted a chance to end the game when sophomore Kelsey Chacho (Plainville, CT) fired a shot that bounced off a Plymouth State defender and landed right in front of freshman Meaghan Gustafson (Newington, CT) less than five yards from the goal.  Gustafson pushed her shot just wide left and play continued. 

Three minutes later, DeVoe again came to the rescue on a corner-kick.  Taking the corner from the right side this time, Devoe lofted a perfect pass into the center of the box where senior Erica Moran (Shelton, CT) headed the ball into the right corner of the net for a 3-2 Western victory. 

For the game, Western held a 34-7 advantage in shots, and also had a 9-3 edge in corner kicks.  Freshman keeper Alison Rettenmeier (Sherman, CT) finished with 2 saves to earn the win, while freshman Annaliese Schmidt (Newmarket, NH) gave a heroic effort to finish with 12 saves, but suffers the loss for Plymouth State. 

With the win, Western now stands at 9-4 on the season and 3-0 in the Little East Conference.  Plymouth State falls to 2-8, 0-3 in the LEC.  The Colonials return to action on Wednesday, October 9, when they travel to play Scranton. Game time is scheduled for 7:00pm.