GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Sydney Knieriem did it again. The junior scored another miraculous set piece to win a game for the University of Providence women's soccer team. The junior hit an overtime winner in the 98th minute to give the Lady Argos a 2-1 OT win over The Evergreen State College, the second straight overtime win for the team.
 
Knieriem's game winner came on a free kick that set right along the right sideline and about 20 yards out. The angle suggested putting in a cross and not a shot, and truthfully that was what the junior had in mind. She struck the ball with the intent to swing it into the penalty box to set up a header but right as its path started to crest a strong gust of wind caught a hold of it and changed its direction.
 
Guided by the gust, the ball suddenly dipped and sliced toward the Geoduck net. It picked up speed and beat the Evergreen keeper to the upper corner of the near post and went in to end the game.
 
"Sometimes you need a little luck to get through things and we sure got that help," Head Coach Brian Clarke said. "It was not our best game, but the team fought hard. I firmly believe that the harder you work, the luckier you are. The win was a great credit again to this team and their spirit."
 
Early in the game, it would have been hard to imagine the contested eventually needing an overtime. Less than 30 seconds into the game against the winless Geoducks, UP's leading scorer, sophomore forward Eme McLaughlin put the Lady Argos ahead 1-0.
 
A long ball played toward the left corner flag by Knieriem was chased down by McLaughlin, who quickly turned towards goal, slipping between a defender and the end line before heading toward the near post. As she approached the post, the Evergreen goalkeeper slid just a touch away from the near post, anticipating a cross, and McLaughlin took advantage, firing a low hard shot between the post and the keeper.
 
Despite the winless record, Evergreen didn't curl up in a ball, but instead fought back, getting a shot on goal four minutes later. The Geoducks also forced UP goalkeeper Dakota Neumann into a second save in the 39th minute, but in between those two looks, the half was mostly Lady Argos.
 
McLaughlin got 3 more shots in the half, including 2 shots on goal, and Knieriem got off a shot of her own in the 34th minute.
 
In the 57th minute, a foul committed by UP's Carolina Guzman gave the Geoducks a free kick from 30 yards out on the right side of the field. Instead of wasting time with a cross, Evergreen's Madison Early went for the goal and placed a gorgeous shot into the upper left corner of the net and out of Neumann's reach.
 
With the score tied, both offenses turned up the heat. UP finished the second half with 10 shots and 4 shots on goal, while Evergreen had 7 shots and 3 shots on goal, but despite those efforts, regulation ended in a 1-1 tie.
 
The Lady Argos were at their best in overtime. Through the first 6 minutes of the period, UP created quality scoring chance after quality scoring chance including 2 chances for McLaughlin inside the box, senior Serafina Robles with the ball at her feet about two yards from the near post, and a shot from Knieriem that hit off the crossbar.
 
Finally, the pressure paid off with Knieriem and nature scoring the game winner for UP. The goal gives Knieriem 3 game winning goals on the year, and as many miraculous set piece goals. Earlier in the season, the junior scored a goal by putting a corner kick in the back of the net and scored a game winning free kick from at least 40 yards out with two minutes left in a tied game.
 
McLaughlin ended the game with 8 shots, 4 shots on goal, and her 7th goal of the season. She just barely leads Knieriem in total points for UP in 2017, with 16 points to Knieriem's 15. The next highest on the team are senior Alejandra Guzman and junior Malena Lennon with 5 points each.
 
UP is now 6-6 (5-3) on the year and with 15 points in Cascade Collegiate Conference play, good for tied for fourth in the conference standings. A win in the Lady Argo's next game, a home match on Saturday, October 21 at 1 p.m. against Northwest University, would essentially clinch the team's place in the CCC playoffs.