BROOKLYN – The Saint Francis women's soccer team got off on the right foot in Northeast Conference play on Friday afternoon, defeating LIU Brooklyn, 2-1, in overtime.
 
The overtime winner for Gallaher came in the 96th minute and came in a sequence involving the only shots of the extra period. She finished the match with five total shots, and two of them came in goal-scoring scenario. Gallaher's first shot was stopped by LIU Brooklyn keeper Erin Harbison, but the rebound came right back out to her, and she deposited it for the game-winner.
 
The winner for the Flash came after LIU Brooklyn had two corner kicks in succession earlier in the overtime period. Neither of those kicks resulted in a shot for the Blackbirds.
 
LIU Brooklyn did five shots in the first half, however, and the second of those five shots gave the Blackbirds a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute. The Blackbirds had a free kick on the right side, and Madison Gomez headed home Lucy Gunton-Jones' entry.
 
That lead didn't last long, however. In the 35th minute, Paige Butler (Osprey, Fla./Venice) tied the score for the Flash. Gallaher started the sequence with a shot off the crossbar. Butler corralled that rebound before the Blackbird defense could recover and scored to make it 1-1. Gallaher led the team with five shots to go with her goal and assist. Butler had four shots.
 
The game stayed tied through a scoreless second half. But it stayed scoreless thanks to six second-half saves from Red Flash goalkeeper Romina Kunze (Frankfurt, Germany/Carl-von-Weinberg-Schule). She finished with seven saves. Allison LaDuke (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe) had three shots.
 
Saint Francis outshot LIU Brooklyn, 19-18. The Flash also won the corner kick battle, 5-3.
 
The Red Flash will look to move to 2-0 in NEC play with a match at Mount St. Mary's on Sunday at 1 p.m.