courtesy of Muhlenberg Sports Information

From her excellent vantage point all the way at the other end of the field, Jen Mermelstein was positive that the shot by Carly DeNigris was in the goal.

“I had noooooo idea,” said Mermelstein. “I could barely see the ball when it was in front of me, much less across the field.”

The referee – the only one who mattered – said it was in, and the goal gave the Muhlenberg women’s soccer team a crucial 1-0 overtime win at Swarthmore in a game played in a steady rain.

The fourth win in a row for the Mules (10-3-2, 6-2) put them in sole possession of third place in the Centennial Conference and on the doorstep of clinching their third consecutive playoff berth. Swarthmore (9-5, 4-4) entered the game ranked ninth in the Mid-Atlantic Region by the NCAA.

In the fourth minute of overtime following a scoreless regulation, DeNigris took a shot from outside the box that was headed for the upper right corner. The Garnet goalie caught the ball but got too deep into the net. The ball went completely over the goal line, and the linesman’s flag went up immediately. Despite some protests from Swarthmore, the game was over.

The unusual “saved Golden Goal” ended an excellent back-and-forth game that featured chances for both teams. Swarthmore had a 22-16 advantage in shots on a night when conditions made every attempt a dangerous one, and Mermelstein recorded a career-high 12 saves to post her fifth shutout in seven starts this season.

“It was a great game,” said the junior. “I honestly think we worked harder.”

That hard work has led Muhlenberg to its first 10-win season since 2009. The Mules, who now have a win and a tie against regionally ranked opponents this year, play another one in Gettysburg on Saturday before closing out the regular season with a home game against Ursinus (another team in playoff contention) next Saturday.

“We’re really proud of our season at this point,” said Mermelstein. “I hope we can keep up the energy over the next two weeks.”
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pictured at left: DeNigris assisted on the goal in Muhlenberg’s first 1-0 overtime CC win this season and scored the goal in the second.