Newberry, S.C. – Welcoming conference foe Lenoir-Rhyne to town, the Newberry women's soccer team endured over 100 grueling minutes of scoreless play before sophomore Jaidyn Jacobs came through with a 30-yard strike to end the match with a walk-off goal.
 
With the second-place Bears riding a three-game winning streak with a 11-1 scoring margin over that span, the Wolves faced one of their toughest opponents yet this season. The tone of the match was established quickly, as both defenses played with toughness and discipline to clamp down on any potential scoring threats.
 
When the Wolves threatened with a pair of corners in the 11^th minute, they were denied a shot and the ball was cleared for a counterattack, where keeper Delaney Hood made her first save of the night. Lenoir-Rhyne continued to press for the next few minutes, generating their own pair of corners, but also came away empty-handed.
 
The first half continued to be a back-and-forth affair, as each offense would control the ball well for a few minutes but struggle to find clean looks at goal. Going into the break, the Bears held a 6-4 advantage in shots and the sides both registered four corner kicks apiece.
 
The second half began with the Wolves generating an early advantage with a corner kick, but they were once again denied a shot. The Bears soon took control of the pace of play, making crisp passes and using their size advantage to win 50/50 balls.
 
With the increased time of possession, Lenoir-Rhyne attempted 11 shots in the second half, but Hood was up to the task, making four saves in the period to keep the game scoreless. After being quiet for most of the half, the Wolves' offense woke up in the 78^th minute when Jacobs launched a deep shot that looked sure to go in. But the ball ricocheted off the crossbar and the threat was averted.
 
With the clock ticking down, the Bears brought everyone up in one last attempt to score in regulation, but the Newberry defense held strong and the game remained scoreless.
 
With both sides showing fatigue, the first OT went by without either side registering a shot, and the game seemed destined to end in a tie. But after coming out of goal in the 103^rd minute to snag the ball off a Bears' setpiece Hood booted the ball downfield where it was misplayed by a defender.
 
Gathering up the ball at midfield, Jacobs took a couple touches to move forward before launching a gorgeous shot into the upper-left corner of the goal. With the golden goal ending the match, the Wolves' bench ran onto the field to celebrate.
 
While Jacobs had the heroic moment at the end, the Newberry defense played a tremendous game to stymie a dangerous offense. With seven saves on the day, Hood made some stellar plays to earn her second shutout of the season.
 
The Wolves play their home finale on Wednesday, October 27, hosting USC Aiken at the Smith Road Complex for a 7 p.m. kickoff.