WILMINGTON, Del. - - Jimena Garcia Risota picked a good time to score her first goal with the Wilmington University women's soccer team, making it count as the scoreboard read 49 seconds left to give the Wildcats a 4-3 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory over crosstown rival Goldey-Beacom on Wednesday afternoon.
The Wildcats (4-2-1, 2-1 CACC) came back twice in the second half, scoring back-to-back goals to take a 2-1 in the 57th minute and then scoring back-to-back goals to complete the final lead change with Risoto's goal in the 90th minute.
The Lightning (2-5, 1-3 CACC) opened the scoring in the sixth minute, burying a second chance opportunity off the hands of Emily Camp who came off her line to try and intercept a cross.
Lauren Hoelke had a blast from straight away in the 23rd minute, but her hard shot was knocked down by Lightning goalkeeper Noel Talbot before being cleared from danger. The Wildcats were outshot, 9-3, in the first half, but only trailed, 1-0, going into the break.
The Wildcats earned a corner in the 54th minute but the Lightning were the first to the ball. But they were unable to clear the ball successfully, as it trickled right to Manuela Restrepo. She Blasted one to the left post from 17 yards out for her first collegiate career goal to tie the match at 1-1.
It didn't take long for the Wildcats to go back on the offensive attack. Just two minutes later, Alicia Whyte cleared the ball out of the back field and the second ball was won by Alexis Johnson. She played a through ball down the middle to a hard charging Krysta Memis who saw the goalkeeper come off her line. She went with the left footed lob shot over the keeper for her second goal of the year and the 2-1 lead in the 57th minute.
The Lightning answered with a through ball of their own in the 68th minute to tie the game, 2-2, and then put home a cross from the left side in the 72nd minute to regain the lead, 3-2.
But it didn't take long for the Wildcats to respond as Lauren Hoelke found the back of the net just 18 seconds off the ensuing restart. Jimena Garcia Risoto was in on the keeper who slid out and knocked it away from the Wildcat. But Hoelke was there to clean it up, and manage to shoot the ball through the Lightning defense guarding the goal line as the goalkeeper struggled to get back.
The Wildcats made one final push under a minute to play, starting with the ball in their own end. The ball got pushed up to Rockesha Dayes on the right wing and she crossed it back to the middle of the field. Jimena Garcia Risoto was then to collect the cross, settle it and launch a shot from 23 yards out over the goalkeeper's head and into the back of the net with only 49 seconds to play.
The Wildcats were able to keep the ball away from their goal for the remainder of the game, earning the comeback victory.
Goldey-Beacom led in shots, 15-10, for the game, but the Wildcats led, 7-6, in the second half. The home team also led in corners, 10-4, for the game. Emily Camp made eight saves for the Wildcats, six coming in the first half.
The Wildcats will go for three victories in a row on Saturday when they return home and square off against Nyack at the WU Athletics Complex. The opening whistle is set for 12:00 p.m.
