PHILADELPHIA -- Despite several great chances, including two in overtime, the Towson University women's soccer program dropped a 1-0 double overtime decision at Drexel University Sunday afternoon.

Drexel's Lauren Currey scored the game-winner at Vidas Field with a chip shot inside the Towson box in the 106th minute of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) opener for both squads.

Towson (1-2-2, 0-1-0 CAA North) had a pair of chances in the first overtime period as Phoebe Canoles took a chance that was stopped and ricocheted off the crossbar and fell at the feet of Nia Christopher, whose attempt also went off the crossbar. 

The Tigers got five saves from freshman Riley Melendez in goal while Canoles and Riley Rumbley got two shots on goal apiece. As a team, Towson out-shot Drexel 20-15, putting nine chances on goal.

Drexel (2-2-0, 1-0-0 CAA North) got the game-winner from Currey, who took five total shots with three on goal. The Dragons split time in net with Miyuki Shoyen starting and making four saves before she was spelled at halftime by Molly Piso, who made five stops in her 61 minutes of play.

How it Happened

• In the sixth minute, Demi Pierre got Towson's first chance of the day on a free kick but the effort fell off to the right of the net. Two minutes later, Rumbley got her first look of the day but was stopped by Shoyen.
• The 11th minute saw the Dragons go on the offensive for the first time in the match as Anna Salvucci and Klara Georges each put shots wide of the target. In the 18th minute, Towson came back on offense as Pierre got another strong look at the cage, shaking off her defender inside the box before she was halted by Shoyen.
• Five minutes later, Drexel got a dangerous chance in the box in front of Melendez, but the effort went off a Tiger foot, setting up a Drexel corner. Currey got a shot at the cage but Melendez was equal to the task to preserve the tie.
• After another five minutes, Alexandra Rush sent in a good looking cross that was a touch too tall for her teammate and stopped by Shoyen. A few moments later, Jenna Blank got loose at the top of the Dragon box and got a shot off, but Shoyen made another stop in the 33rd minute.
• In the waning moments of the first half, Drexel threatened again with multiple shots inside Towson's penalty area, but with Tiger defenders in tight, none of those efforts made it on cage for a 0-0 halftime score.
• Five minutes into the second half, Drexel had a possession deep in Towson's end, getting a free kick from Melissa Lyon, but Melendez came off her line and punched the ball clear of the box.
• Applying most of the attacking pressure in the second half, Towson had several chances midway through the second half, trapping Drexel on its defensive side for several minutes. In the 69th minute, the Tigers got their second penalty kick of the season after Khori Banks was fouled in the box. Canoles stepped in for the chance but Piso made a sprawling save on the chance. Five minutes later, Canoles sent a rocket from 25 yards that clanged off the crossbar, with the rebound falling at the feet of Banks. The second chance was headed just over the Drexel crossbar for a continued 0-0 deadlock.
• Towson had two more chances in the final 10 minutes, but Piso stopped both of those shots to send the Tigers to their third overtime of the young spring season.
• In the 94th minute following a Drexel foul, Towson had a free kick three yards north of the Drexel box. Canoles sent in another rocket shot that Piso stopped before the rebound came down to Christopher, who hit the crossbar on the second chance.
• The Dragons had a look in the 96th minute, but Melendez saw the shot go wide as the teams carried into double overtime, the third double overtime of the year for Towson.
• Six minutes into the new overtime, Currey hit a chip shot from the edge of the Tigers' box that fell to the back corner, ending the game with a 1-0 score for Drexel.

Behind the Numbers

• Towson out-shot the Dragons 20-15, including 9-6 in shots on goal. The Tigers took 10 chances in the second half, with another four coming in overtime.
• Melendez went the distance for Towson, making five saves in her 106 minutes of work. Drexel's two keepers, Shoyen and Piso, had six total saves in the combined shutout. Towson also controlled corner kicks, putting nine in, including eight over the final 60 minutes.
• Sunday's double overtime game was the third of the year for Towson, joining a pair of ties at UMBC (Feb. 28) and Saint Joseph's (March 5) to open the 2021 spring season.

Up Next for Towson

• The Tigers have a week off before returning to CAA action on Sunday, March 28.
• Towson hosts Northeastern (3-3-1, 1-1-0 CAA North) at Tiger Field for a 1 p.m. start time.