The Elon University women's soccer team was deadlocked at a goal apiece against Gardner-Webb University with four minutes left in the second overtime period when senior midfielder Sam Burch received a bouncing ball from sophomore forward Grace Bennett.
Burch volleyed the ball into the back of the net from the penalty spot for the game-winning goal, giving the Phoenix a 2-1 victory Friday night in Boiling Springs, N.C.
This was the third overtime contest of the season for the Phoenix, which has yet to lose in extra time this season, winning a match against Davidson College 1-0 and drawing against the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in its most recent match.
The two sides had played to a 1-1 tie in regulation, with Elon scoring in the first half and Gardner-Webb tying it up in the second half.
Elon's goal came in the 32nd minute, when freshman forward Tori Baliatico took a pass from sophomore forward Sydney Schilling from the left side of the box and put it in the back of the net for her third goal of the season.
Gardner-Webb struck early in the second half to tie things up, when junior goalkeeper Taylor Mohr was unable to stop a shot from Gardner-Webb senior forward Shelby Hooe out of the goal in the 57th minute.
The Phoenix had 13 shots to the Runnin' Bulldogs' 11, although each side's shots on goal were few and far between (four for the Phoenix, two for the Runnin' Bulldogs).
With the win, Elon moved to 6-1-1 on the season going into its next match Sept. 20, a home contest against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Gardner-Webb dropped to 3-4-2.