A last-minute penalty kick goal by freshman Amber McCorkle enabled the Loyola Marymount women’s soccer team to salvage a 1-1 double overtime tie with Duquesne Aug. 25, two days after the Lions suffered a heartbreaking loss to Pittsburgh.

McCorkle’s goal came with 40 seconds left in regulation, and neither team could score in overtime. Redshirt junior goalkeeper Lee Erickson made four saves for the Lions and shut down Duquesne after the Dukes scored in the first half.

“I am proud of our resilience today," said LMU coach Michelle Myers. ”We kept fighting and pushing and got a PK call in our favor. Amber stepped up to take it under the pressure and put it away. We missed some chances today, which we have to convert, but we defended well and limited their chances which was an improvement from Friday.”

Myers referred to a 5-4 setback in LMU’s opening match of the two-game road trip, in which the Lions led 4-3 in the second half before the Panthers tallied twice late (in the 82nd and 84th minutes of play) to eke out the win. 

The Lions led 2-1 at the half, thanks to goals by Simone Handy (assisted by Gabbie Sanfilippo) and Ali King (from Handy), then scored twice more in the second half on unassisted goals from Jacki Fiacco (62nd minute) and Maki Kono (70th minute).

LMU makes its 2019 home debut Aug. 29, 7:30 p.m. at Sullivan Field against San Jose State, which has two scoreless ties in its first two matches. The Lions host Penn State (1-1) in a 1 p.m. match on Sept. 1, the opening half of the WCC-Big 10 Challenge that features Illinois against USF in a 4 p.m. match.

Mike Nelson is the former editor of The Tidings (predecessor of Angelus News).

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