FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  The Methodist women's soccer team won in dramatic fashion against N.C. Wesleyan in USA South conference play Wednesday evening. It took all of regulation and nine and a half minutes of overtime before Miranda Gay broke a scoreless tie and ended the game with a goal to lift the Monarchs to the 1-0 victory.

With 36.9 seconds left on the clock, Gay had the ball at her feet on the rebound after the Battling Bishops goalkeeper saved a Capri Clark shot.

A player's initial goal of the season cannot come at a better moment as Gay scored her first by winning it. Plus, the implications for this game are huge as the Monarchs now sit second in the East division standings. A win on Saturday could potentially clinch a first-round bye in the USA South conference tournament, and earn the hosts role in the second round.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Methodist def. N.C. Wesleyan, 1-0 OT
Records: Methodist 7-6 overall (3-3 USA South); N.C. Wesleyan 4-7-1 overall (2-4 USA South)
Location: Monarch SoccerPlex; Fayetteville, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• With less than a minute left, Clark sliced through the defenders and had a nice look on goal. Alicia Jacobs came up with the save but was unable to corral the ball as it went flying to the left of the ball, right at the feet of Gay. Jacobs was unable to recover in time to make a real play on the shot.
• Haley Bowles had chances to end the game earlier in the first overtime period. In the 95th minute, she dribbled through the back line defender to shoot from inside the box. Jacobs did not panic and earned a save.
• Her second opportunity came with less than two minutes to play in the period when she received a nice pass from Capri Clark but Bowles' shot was just a little too high of the crossbar.
• Methodist put up the only shots in the overtime period with four shots and three on goal.
• It was an excellent game played by Monarchs' goalkeeper Maggie Hunt. Hunt was in great position all night to challenge the free kicks, crosses, and the potential breakaways, snuffing those plays out before there was a shot on goal. She was only credited with one save, however.
• Speaking of shots on goal, Methodist had ten on target compared to just one for N.C. Wesleyan. Methodist doubled up on the Battling Bishops in total shots, 15 to seven.
• The first half was slow as it featured six combined shots and only two shots on goal, all by the Monarchs.
• Bella Nunu registered the first shot on goal in the game.
• The best chance in regulation for Methodist to win came off of a corner kick by Bowles in the 72nd minute. A perfect header forced Jacobs to make an acrobatic save but she dropped the ball and at least two Monarchs had a chance to score from less than a yard away. Jacobs came up with the save to keep N.C. Wesleyan out of trouble.
• Jacobs had her hands full as she earned nine saves in the game.
• It was another physical matchup as there were 24 combined fouls. N.C. Wesleyan earned the bulk of those fouls with 15. There were four yellow cards that were assessed, three were given to Battling Bishop players.

TOURNEY TIME

• With Pfeiffer ineligible for the USA South Conference tournament, every team is bumped up in the standings. Pfeiffer is currently second in the east.
• With nine points, Methodist is a three-way tie for second with Salem and Averett. Methodist has defeated Averett but has lost to Salem earlier in the regular season. A win against Meredith in the regular season finale either has the Monarchs as the number two seed or the number three seed in the division.

UP NEXT

• Saturday is senior night for the Monarchs as they are home to play Meredith at 6 p.m. in a game that also doubles as the regular season finale.
• For the N.C. Wesleyan's regular season finale on Saturday, the Battling Bishops travel to Misenheimer, N.C. to play Pfeiffer.