Women's Soccer Ties Providence, 3-3

Sept. 1, 2002

KINGSTON, R.I. - The University of Rhode Island and Providence College battled to a 3-3 tie in a non-conference match at the URI Soccer Complex on Sunday afternoon.

Rhode Island opened the scoring for the afternoon when freshman Melanie Kasparek (Trumbull, Conn.) took a pass from junior Erica Young (Lawrenceville, N.J.) 18-yards out in the middle of the box and lofted the ball over Providence keeper Caroline Haines' (Stillwater, Minn.) outstretched hands for the 1-0 lead at the 25:00 mark. The Rams extended their lead to 2-0 at the 27:30 marks when Melanie Kasparek's shot hit off the cross bar and junior Sarah Johnston (New Britain, Pa.) collected the rebound and found the back of the net.

Providence responded late in the first half when sophomore BriAnne Bruni (Bristol, Conn.) took a pass from sophomore Shannon McMorrow (Boca Raton, Fla.) in the center of the box and slipped it past URI goalkeeper, junior Jamie Epperlein (Woodbine, Md.) to cut the Rhode Island lead to 2-1 at the 39:57 mark. The Friars evened the score at 2-2 early in the second half when freshman Kerry O'Malley (Longmeadow, Mass.) put in a rebound off a missed shot from sophomore Maura Robertson (Wellesley, Mass.) at the 60:59 mark. URI regained the lead at 78:11 when senior captain Heather Kasparek (Trumbull, Conn.) put in a free-kick from just outside the box after a Providence foul to give the Rams the 3-2 advantage. Rhode Island then held onto the lead until the closing minute of the game when junior Kirsten Buteau (Guilford, Conn.) played a through ball to Robertson who found the back of the net to tie the game at 3-3 at the 89:47 mark. The two teams then battled through two 10-minute overtime periods before the game ended in the 3-3 deadlock.

URI outshot Providence by a 21-13 margin in the contest. Epperlein made seven saves in goal for Rhode Island while Haines had four stops for Providence.

Rhode Island, now 0-0-1 for the season, will return to action on Friday, Sept. 6 when it travels to Massachusetts for the Atlantic 10 opener at 7:00 p.m.

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