Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio - After 45 minutes, the Miami soccer team's match against Western Kentucky had a familiar looking script. This time however, the Red and White wrote a much more favorable ending.

Trailing 2-0 at halftime, the RedHawks (1-2) grinded away and Olivia Winnett's goal in the 107th minute put the finishing touches on a gritty 3-2 double overtime victory over the Lady Toppers (1-2) to pick up their first victory of 2016.

"I told the team that there are all different kinds of ways to win a soccer game and sometimes you have to do it with guts and grit. That's how we won it today," head coach Bobby Kramig said. "This was an absolutely remarkable comeback down two goals."

The Lady Toppers drew first blood six minutes in as Iris Dunn was fed into the box on the left side, where she blasted a hard shot that went in upper 90 to the far post to make it 1-0. Dunn struck again with 13 minutes left in the opening frame when a throw-in was settled down by her on the left side in front of the six-yard box, where she turned and buried another shot into the upper 90. That strike capped a first half that saw WKU outshoot MU 8-2 en route to a two-goal halftime lead.

Miami drew one closer in the first minute of the second half when Kat Zalar got tripped in the box, creating a penalty kick. Rachel Marble stepped to the dot and buried the shot to cut the gap to 2-1.

For the longest time, that Marble tally was MU's lone shot of the second half as the defense was under siege by a skilled WKU squad. Vic Maniaci made strong saves on a 58th minute free kick by Aleksandra Kozovic and a 59th minute Dunn attempt from inside the box. It wasn't until time began really winding down that Miami was able to send players forward and Sam Worthman nearly evened the score when she got a look from the right flank inside the box, but her tricky shot sailed just inches over the crossbar.

An attacking third throw-in led to the tying goal as Marble settled the ball down and dished to Kat Zalar just outside the box on the left. From there, she dropped it to Jenny Barr, who drilled a shot from 25 yards out that handcuffed Allison Leone and trickled into the net to tie it at 2-2 in the 86th minute, eventually sending the contest to overtime.

The RedHawks had a few opportunities to win it in the first overtime frame, with both attempts created by Zalar. The first one came in the 93rd minute when she slipped a shot through traffic in the middle from 15 yards away that again slipped past the hands of Leone, but she was able to recover to keep it out. Another attempt by Zalar was fought off by Leone in the 97th minute, but the rebound got to Marble on the right side and her shot went just wide of the post as the contest wore into a second overtime frame.

Had the contest ended in a draw, Miami could still have held its heads high at the resolve it showed to come back from two goals down, but that was not good enough for the squad on this day. Less than four minutes from ending in a tie, Winnett won a 50-50 ball to allow possession in the attacking third. Her win slipped the ball to Worthman to make a run down the right side, where she played a low cross into the box that new keeper Jenna Rohlin came out to smother. The ball bounced free from Rohlin's grip and found the foot of Winnett to bury it into an open frame and send Miami off the field with a dramatic comeback win.

Both teams attempted four shots in the overtime, though WKU held a 20-10 edge in shot attempts ovefrall. The Lady Toppers attempted 11 corner kicks while the RedHawks had just two attempts from the corner. A total of 19 players saw the pitch for MU, all of whom played at least 26 minutes. Maniaci stopped six of eight shots in 80:13 before being relieved by Patricia Koutoulas, who stopped both shots she faced in the final 26:19 and assisted the Winnett's winner to earn her first collegiate victory. Leone stopped three of five shots in 97:26 of action while Rohlin allowed the winning goal on the only shot she faced in 9:06.

Friday was Miami's lone contest of the weekend and it will head on the road for the next three contests. MU returns to the pitch on Sept. 2 when it faces Miami in Coral Gables, Fla.