SAN DIEGO - The Point Loma women's soccer team played No. 7 Western Washington tough into double overtime, and some might even say the Sea Lions had the momentum, but the Vikings found a way to corral a loose ball in the box in the 107th minute and poke it in for the 2-1 victory.
 
The goal left the Sea Lions stunned, but there were many positives to take from the match. After allowing the first goal of the game on a mishandled free kick in the second minute, Point Loma fought back and got the equalizing goal from Lauren O'Malley in the 67th minute. She was able to rise above the crowd off a corner from Abbi Swanson and head the ball into the net for the Sea Lions' first goal of the Kristi Kiely era.
 
From that point, PLNU began to boss the game. They outshot WWU 10-4 in the second period and had a few other good looks but they could not sneak one past WWU goalkeeper Natalie Dierickx. The match remained scoreless through the rest of the second period and first overtime, until a unique sequence in the middle of the second overtime led to the game-winning goal.
 
With the ball being chased down the sideline, PLNU and WWU student-athletes made contact and went to the ground. The ball appeared to be going back to Point Loma but after an injury delay, the ball went back to the Vikings on a throw-in. Thirteen seconds later the ball was in the back of the net off a game-winning kick from Emily Nelson.
 
Team Records
Point Loma (0-1-0 PacWest), Western Washington (1-0-0, 0-0-0 GNAC)
 
Words from Coach Kiely
On finally getting out on the field as a team/unit: "I told them that they had four months of just having to deal with me without the opportunity to show, get a result or even test where you are really at. They have just been hearing me push and push them, but they responded incredibly well.
 
On the match: "I am certainly disappointed in the result but I am so pleased with the performance. We were resilient today with a good spirit. They are all very disappointed in this loss, which I appreciate."
 
On Malley's goal: "Each of the first two goals were scored on set pieces. That is not how I envision getting goals but I will take them however we get them. We don't spend a lot of time on set pieces but our women executed them very well."
 
On Western Washington's overtime goal: "That goal was unfortunate but at the end of the day we have to take care of chances on the other side. That is the frustrating part."
 
On team's response to early goal: "I thought the women did fantastic in their response (to the early goal). They didn't lose their lose their cool, they didn't freak out or panic. We stuck to the game plan and that is what I ask of them. "
 
On things to work on as a team: "We need to improve our final-third production. They all know that but it is usually the last thing to come so we will spend some time on that."
 
Thoughts from the student-athletes


Scoring Summary
1:42 - WWU GOAL: Taylor Hallquist (unassisted) [WWU 1, PLNU 0]
66:05 - PLNU GOAL: Lauren O'Malley (Abbi Swanson) [WWU 1, PLNU 1]
106:18 - WWU GOAL: Emily Nelson (unassisted) [WWU 2, PLNU 1]
 
News and Notes
> PLNU broke WWU's streak of outshooting its opponent in 55 straight games (dating back to 2015)
> The Sea Lions had four new starters
> Emma Hinson got the start in goal and made two saves
> This was Kristi Kiely's first game in NCAA Division II after spending time in NCAA Division I and the NAIA
 
Up Next
The Point Loma women's soccer team will go on the road to face Cal Poly Pomona on Thursday, Sept. 6 at 6:30 p.m. (PST).