SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Junior Kathryn White (Georgetown, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal on a free kick just 1:29 into the first overtime as the Saint Anselm College women's soccer team posted a 3-2 win over American International on Saturday.

With the win, the Hawks improve to 6-3-1 on the season with a 4-3-1 record in Northeast-10 Conference play. The Yellow Jackets fall to 4-4-1 with a 2-4 record in league matches.

"The NE10 is so incredibly difficult with so many quality players and coaches that every day is a challenge. There is never an easy day which forces you to be mentally engaged and take huge physical risks over and over again. The minute you don't, you're made to pay for it," said Head Coach Joel Bancroft. "In truth, our team is still learning what it takes to finish games when the intensity is that high. It's a process and tonight we matured a bit. The communication amongst the players was the difference before overtime. They centered themselves and challenged each other to raise our level, generating the moment through hard work and then executed it for a big result."

In the overtime period, Saint Anselm drew a foul just outside the 18-yard box. White fired a right-footed shot into the upper part of the goal to register the game-winner in the 92nd minute.

Earlier in the match, the Yellow Jackets started on the attack early as Caroline Porter forced a turnover deep the Hawks defensive end. However, she pulled her right-footed shot wide left.

Freshman Alyssa McColl (Stoughton, Mass.) got the scoring started in the 24th minute with her second goal of the season. Senior Regan Pratt (Newburyport, Mass.) won a loose-ball battle on the end line and sent a pass across the goal mouth for McColl who beat her defender with a slide, redirecting the ball into the back of the net.

Saint Anselm quickly doubled its lead when sophomore Olivia Gotobed (North Andover, Mass.) fired a high-arcing shot over a defender and the goalkeeper and into the top-right of the goal. Gotobed started the play by winning a loose ball following a Hawks corner kick in the 27th minute from just outside the box.

The teams would head to the half with the Hawks leading 2-0.

American International cracked the scoreboard in the 47th minute after being awarded a corner kick. Trystin Burger took the corner kick and sent it to the middle of the box where Rhiann Ryan headed the ball into the top half of the goal to cut the Hawks lead to one.

Saint Anselm only had two shots in the second half as White fired one on Yellow Jackets goalkeeper Olivia Sousa in the 55th minute, forcing her to make the save. White fired another shot in the 80th minute but the attempt was wide.

The Yellow Jackets found the equalizer in the 86th minute. American International pushed everyone forward and it paid off as a short goal kick to the right sideline was won by the Yellow Jackets. A header into the box went toward Reese Carey who volleyed the play on a bounce over an attacking Kate Macaluso (Malverne, N.Y.) and into the bottom left of the goal.

The squads headed to overtime deadlocked at two.

Macaluso improves to 6-3-1 on the season, making one save in the winning effort. Sousa falls to 0-2 after stopping one shot on goal.

The Hawks return to action on Saturday, Oct. 16 when Pace comes to the Hilltop.