FREDERICTON, NB - The UNB Reds and StFX X-Women played to a 3-3 draw, Sunday afternoon at UNB's BMO Centre.
The X-Women scored twice in the final eight minutes to salvage the tie.
"I'm a little disappointed. We tasted it, we felt that win," said Reds midfielder Jesse Bellamy (St. Catharines, ON). "It would've been a great stepping stone for us, to beat a really good team moving forward, take a few points away from them. But we played well, scoring three times against them is what we wanted, but it was disappointing to allow them those few at the end."
The first scoring opportunity came in the 23rd minute, when the Reds were awarded a penalty kick for an X hand ball. X-Women keeper Christina Gentile (Laval, QC) managed to stop Abby Sullivan's (Orleans, MA) shot.
The visitors then opened the scoring in the 34th minute. Mercy Myles (Accra, Ghana) took the ball deep into the corner before striking a beautiful cross that was then struck by Melanie Belong (Moncton, NB) past Reds keeper Brynn Nash (Saskatoon, SK).
That lead wouldn't last long.
In the 39th minute, Bellamy hit a laser of a shot from just outside the 18-yard box, easily beating Gentile.
In the 66th minute, Bellamy struck again, heading a Cierra Thomas (London, ON) free kick past Gentile, giving the home side a 2-1 lead.
The Reds went up 3-1 in the 74th minute when Maddie Goertz (Saskatoon, SK) slid a ball past Gentile.
Cue the X comeback.
Catherine Kennedy (Antigonish, NS) converted a corner kick in the 82nd minute before Myles scored the tying goal in the 89th minute.
"I definitely think we didn't lose 3-3 today, we definitely won 3-3 today," said fifth year X midfielder Larissa White (Westphal, NS). "We put our hearts out at the end and came back to tie it, so it was good."
For her two-goal effort, Bellamy was named the Subway Player of the Game.
"It always seems like we get beat on the tiniest things, like set pieces or small give-aways," said Bellamy. "We have to tighten up on the marking, and hopefully things like that won't happen again."
The Reds, now 2-2-1, hit the road for a pair of games next weekend. Friday finds them at Dalhousie, for a 5:00pm start. On Saturday, UNB visits Saint Mary's for another 5:00pm kick-off.
The X-Women, now 3-0-2, host Saint Mary's on Friday.
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Recap courtesy Andy Campbell, UNB Athletics