NEWBERG, Ore. – After almost 108 minutes of scoreless action, the visiting Lewis & Clark College Pioneers finally broke through in the second overtime with an Emily Thompson goal to edge the George Fox University Bruins 1-0 in Northwest Conference women's soccer action Saturday afternoon here at the Austin Sports Complex.

Lewis & Clark controlled play for the most part through the first two periods of regulation, taking 26 shots to eight for George Fox, with 13 shots on goal to six for the Bruins, and had five corner kicks to none.  Both defenses were on top of their games, though, and the shots that were taken were, for the most part, routinely handled by keepers Alyssa Montero of the Bruins and Geena Fong of the Pios.

Each team had its best chance to score in the first overtime.  The first time the Bruins got the ball in the extra period, Michelle Young beat the defense and had only Fong left to get past, but her shot on the run rolled outside the left post by a few inches.  Midway through the period, a shot by the Pios' Emilia Emmetti from the middle of the box was blocked over near the left post, and Megan Ratfield sent a bullet toward the net from five yards away that was remarkably caught by Montero as she went to her knees.

In the final period, Lewis & Clark nearly ended the game with a shot by Anna Thorndike from the left side of the box that ricocheted off the right post and back into play in the 102nd minute.  Kailee Carneau's rebound attempt was mishit off to the right.  Jenna Prewitt's header attempt from 10 yards away 30 seconds later was the Bruins' last good scoring chance, but the ball sailed right. 

The Pioneers finally ended the taut contest when Raquel McNeff crossed from outside the right edge of the box to the middle.  Montero and Thorndike went up together for the ball, which deflected off the pair and was knocked into the net by the opportunistic Thompson for her sixth goal of the season and her third game-winner.

Montero faced 35 shots in all, 16 on goal, and posted her second-highest saves total of the season with 15 stops.  She now has a league-leading 101 saves.  Fong faced 10 shots overall, six on goal, and saved each one.  Tear'sa Krieger led the Bruins with three shots, two on goal, while the Pios were paced by Emmetti with 10 shots, four on goal, and Thompson with nine attempts, four on target.

George Fox fell to 3-9-1 overall and 1-7-1 in conference play, while Lewis & Clark, which swept the season series with the Bruins, improved to 8-5-1 overall and 5-4-1 in the NWC.

NEXT: George Fox visits Willamette University in Salem, Ore., and Lewis & Clark hosts Pacific University Sunday, both games at 12:00 noon.