HOUGHTON, NY – The venue had changed, but the outcome looked uncomfortably familiar.
 
SUNY Geneseo's Kelsey Raschke scored the winning goal with just over four minutes remaining in double-overtime to lift the Knights (7-3-1) past the Houghton College Highlanders (4-5-1) women's soccer team on Wednesday night.
 
The Knights came out of the gates with energy, controlling most of the first half, including outshooting the Highlanders 10-4. 
 
Houghton goalkeeper Shawna Sprout (Portville, NY, Portville Central) kept the game at a stalemate heading into the break with several tremendous saves, including a diving stop on a breakaway in the seventh minute. 
 
Sprout would collect six saves in the first half and 10 in the game.
 
"We made some tactical adjustments heading into the second half," commented Houghton coach David Lewis.  "We moved a couple of players around and changed formations to give us a better attack."
 
The changes were evident immediately as the Highlanders began to create chances, playing balls over the top and sliding balls through the back of the Knights defense. 
 
Houghton would outshoot the Knights 9-6 in the second period, but it was the Knights who would open the scoring in the 62^nd minute.  Meaghan Johnston received a ball from Marissa Benson about 25 yards out and ripped a shot off the underside of the crossbar, just over Sprout's outstretched hands, for the first goal of the game.
 
After several near misses, the Highlanders finally found the back of the net in the 71^st minute.  Several passes found feet before Jessica Beattie (Maitland, Ontario, St. Mary's) received the ball several yards outside of the top of the box and slid a perfect pass between two defenders to Nikki Garns (Chambersburg, PA, Greencastle-Antrim), who finished a left-footed shot to the far post.
 
The two teams battled the next 45 minutes primarily in the midfield before the Knights played a lofted ball into the box with just over four minutes remaining in the second overtime period.
 
Rushing out near the top of the 18, Sprout was unable to control the ball, which went directly to Raschke's feet. The Geneseo forward quickly passed the ball into the net for the win.
 
The game was the third consecutive match in which the Highlanders reached the second overtime period, and the second consecutive in which they lost in the final minutes. 
 
"We need to learn to finish those types of games if we want to reach the postseason," said Lewis.  "We haven't figured it out yet, but we will.  Our girls worked incredibly hard.  We're going to be the team that nobody wants to play in the playoffs."
 
The Highlanders now prepare for a critical conference matchup that could have playoff implications as they square off against Hartwick College on Saturday, October 10 at 3:30 p.m. at Burke Field in Houghton.