St. Francis (IL) News
Sat, Oct 3, 2009 - [Women's Soccer]
Amber Zukowski's goal as regulation time expired sent the Saints into overtime at Saint Xavier.
Amber Zukowski's goal as regulation time expired sent the Saints into overtime at Saint Xavier.

CHICAGO - University of St. Francis sent its men's and women's soccer teams to Saint Xavier this weekend and both Saints' teams managed to leave the heavily favored Cougars in knots. After the USF men rallied for a 1-1 tie against SXU on Friday, the Saints' women did the same on Saturday but in even more dramatic fashion.

Freshman Amber Zukowski (Andrew H.S./Tinley Park, IL) - who was forced to move to goalkeeper midway through the contest when senior Ashley Kekelik (T.F. South H.S./Lansing, IL) was injured - raced up from her goalie position in the final seconds to attempt a free kick after a Saint Xavier foul was whistled. With time expiring, Zukowski let fly with a 45-yard kick that sailed over the outstretched hands of the SXU goalie and found the net to force overtime.

Neither team scored in the first or second 10-minute overtime sessions so the Saints (1-8-1, 1-1-1), despite being outshot 29-4 overall and 17-3 in shots on goal, walked away with a 1-1 tie that felt like a huge upset win against Saint Xavier (6-5-1, 2-1-1) who has won three of the past four Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference championships and captured the CCAC tournament title last fall.

SXU scored its goal in the game's fifth minute but could not get another shot past Kekelik or Zukowski. Kekelik left the game six minutes into the second half with an injury and Zukowski moved from her midfield slot to the net.
 
Kekelik registered 6 saves prior to departing and Zukowski finished with 10, including one in the first overtime.
 
In addition to Zukowski's long game-tying goal at the end of regulation, USF got shots on goal from senior midfielder Caitlin Byrnes (Plainfield South H.S./Joliet, IL) and freshman midfielder Morgan Rowe (Ottawa H.S./Marseilles, IL).
 
The Saints travel to Calumet College (IN) for a CCAC match on Wednesday at 3 p.m. USF returns home to play host to conference-leading Olivet Nazarene next Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the Galowich YMCA field.