ROLLA, Mo. – It was a cold, windy and damp evening at Allgood-Bailey Stadium Friday night as the Missouri S&T women's soccer team opened the final weekend of the regular season opposite Illinois Springfield. Looking to secure a postseason berth for the first time since 2014, the Miners (7-5-3, 6-4-3) and Prairie Stars (6-6-2, 5-6-2) played each other tightly throughout regulation and needed overtime to determine the outcome, and after six minutes of free soccer, the Green & Gold found the net for the golden goal on a set piece to record the 1-0 win and extend their season at least one more weekend with a first round appearance in this year's GLVC Championship.
 
Sydney Gratz (Geneva, IL/Geneva) had the first look on goal in the third minute of play but her shot missed just high over the crossbar. Illinois Springfield had their first shot in the 11th minute but it sailed high off target.
 
Paige VanDaele (Cottleville, MO/Francis Howell Central) had a great look in the 23rd minute to get the Miners on the board but she was turned away by the UIS keeper. Damita Mendoza (San Antonio, TX/Smithson Valley) fired a shot late in the first half but it sailed off-target as shots were hard to come by for both sides as the first half concluded with no score.
 
The second half started much like the first and shots continued to be hard to come by. Gratz misfired in the 60th minute and Kristin Steins (Ballwin, MO/Parkway South) made her first save of the evening in the 66th minute to keep things even.
 
Steins made another save in the 78th minute after which the Miners raced down the field with a chance to take the lead, but a shot from Ally Haskin was again saved by the UIS keeper. Each side managed a few more shots in the closing moments of regulation but none of them were on goal as 90 minutes came and went with no change to the score.
 
The Prairie Stars came out the aggressors to start the extra period, firing off a pair of shots in the opening minutes but neither found their mark. As the minutes ticked by, both sides looked to be deadlocked until a UIS foul in the 96th minute set up a free kick for the Miners. With the rain continuing to fall and time winding down, Danielle Hopkins (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley) fired a strike from about 22 yards out into the top right corner over the dive of the keeper for her third goal of the season to secure the win as the Miners improved to 2-1-3 in overtime affairs this season.
 
VanDaele led S&T with three shot attempts during the match while Gratz added two of her own. Steins finished with two saves and recorded her eighth shutout of the season. S&T outshot UIS 9-8 as a team.
 
Up next for the Miners, they close out the regular season Sunday at Allgood-Bailey Stadium against Lewis at 12 PM. S&T will recognize this seniors on this year's team in a brief ceremony prior to the start of the match.