Working overtime

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Naugatuck’s Jasmine Grey (8) defends deep in Naugatuck territory as Holy Cross’ Kylie Rice (15) looks for an opening and Naugy goalie Sophie Boucher watches Oct. 16 at Naugatuck High School. –KEN MORSE
Naugatuck’s Jasmine Grey (8) defends deep in Naugatuck territory as Holy Cross’ Kylie Rice (15) looks for an opening and Naugy goalie Sophie Boucher watches Oct. 16 at Naugatuck High School. –KEN MORSE

NAUGATUCK — The Naugatuck girls soccer team had to work overtime to get back in the win column.

Naugatuck escaped Seymour with a 3-2 overtime victory Monday to improve to 7-6 on the season. Kyla Magalhaes scored two goals for the Greyhounds. Hannah Lauer added a goal and Sophie Boucher made three saves in the net.

The Greyhounds have been hit hard by injuries sending head coach Lisa Mariano back to the drawing board. Naugatuck dropped five of six games prior to the Seymour win after a promising 5-1 start on the season.

Naugatuck dropped a tough 2-1 overtime decision to Holy Cross last Friday. It took a late goal by Holy Cross’ Kylie Rice off a rebound with 4:42 left in the second overtime to settle the score.

Both keepers were kept busy in the back-and-forth battle. The Crusaders’ Katherine Flaherty turned back 11 shots while Boucher did her best to keep Naugatuck in the game making 12 stops in the net.

Jasmine Grey, Sophia Marques and Bridget Rosikiewicz played a formidable role on defense, but the Greyhounds are still struggling to piece together an offensive threat since losing their leading goal scorer Sara Marques for the season.

It was a battle from the get go against Holy Cross. Both teams raced back and forth at midfield trying to maintain possession. There were very few threats in either end as Alyana Sosa, Leigha Molligi, Magalhaes and Lauer went after every ball over the middle of the field.

Naugatuck was getting lead passes to Marcie Best, Nicole Crowley and Erin Doris but the weak side help didn’t show up in time to finish the final third of the run as the Greyhounds only managed four shots on goal in the first half.

Holy Cross wasn’t doing much better. The Crusaders only put four shots on goal as the battle remained scoreless at the break. At the start of the second half the Crusaders made a run only to have Boucher charge out of the net in a fearless attempt to stop the advance.

A collision ensued but Boucher managed to hang on to the ball to keep the game deadlocked. Holy Cross began to gain a step on the weary Greyhounds and their persistence paid off at 27:21 when Julia Sheetz sent a high blast from the right corner that sailed over the outstretched reach of Boucher and into the net.

Naugatuck made their first substitution minutes later when Melissa Goja came on to shore up the midfield. At 18:23 Naugatuck’s Crowley sent in a corner that ricocheted off Doris in a pile up out in front that tied the game at 1-1.

Jossalynn Harris came in for Naugatuck with 9 minutes left in regulation but the only real threat the Greyhounds had was a shot from Alyana Sosa with 1:12 to go that skidded across the front of the goal.

Naugatuck will play Wolcott Thursday. Next week the Greyhounds conclude the regular season at Ansonia on Monday and at home on Tuesday against Sacred Heart.