ABILENE, Texas  – Senior Jess Coates tied the game up with her sixth goal of the season, but the Nicholls State University soccer team came away without a win in its second overtime battle in as many matches as the Colonels fell, 2-1, to Abilene Christian on Friday night at Elmer Gray Stadium.
 
With the loss, Nicholls dropped to 3-3-1 overall and 0-1-1 in Southland play. Abilene Christian upped its record to 3-6 on the season and 2-0 in league play.
 
LEADERS
 
Coates logged four of the Colonels' 14 shots in the loss, including two on target. ACU racked up a total of 29 shots with 14 on goal. Roosa Hurmerinta finished with a career-high 12 saves for Nicholls.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
ACU spent most of the first half on the offensive side of the pitch and it resulted in a header by Kelsie Roberts at the 31:05 mark for a 1-0 lead.
 
In the second half, despite a 16-7 disadvantage on shots, the Colonels scored the only goal in the 45 minutes leading up to overtime. Five minutes in, Coates launched a 20-yarder into the net to even the score at 1-1.
 
With 10 minutes left in regulation, Hurmerinta made a great diving stop on a shot by Chelsea Reedy. Hurmerinta's previous high in saves was four against ULM, which she tripled against ACU.
 
In overtime, ACU got off two shots before picking up the game winner. With less than four minutes gone by in the extra period, Dylan Owens came across a loose ball in front of the net and tapped it in for the golden goal.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Colonels will wrap up their two-match trip in Texas on Sunday against UIW. The match is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.