FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Soccer team fought back from a two-goal second half deficit with goals in the 76th and 83rd minutes to earn a draw with visiting Bryant by a 3-3 score. Liz Dumas recorded her first career multi-goal game, including the tying score in the second half while Stephanie Tsangaris dished out two assists and also netted a goal.
 
"This is definitely a group with character and guts," Head Coach David Barrett said. "I don't know if we would have the same result last year if we had fallen behind like this, but our kids hung in there and battled. We made adjustments to our shape and tactics and they responded well to it. Unfortunate that we didn't get the result we wanted but pleased we fought from two goals down with 20 to go for the tie."
 
The Stags (3-2-2) fell behind 3-1 after the Bulldogs (2-3-1) opened the second half with two goals in a four minute span. Corinne Rey had a part in both goals for the Bulldogs as she looped the ball over the goalkeeper in the 52nd minute and handed out an assist off a corner kick to Remi Manna's goal four minutes later.
 
Despite controlling the offensive pressure, it took the Stags nearly 20 minutes to begin their rally when Tsangaris netted her third goal of the season. Brooke Hernon dribbled the ball near the top of the box and sent a pass towards the right side to Tsangaris who made a few moves to get by the keeper to make the score 3-2.
 
Fairfield would keep the momentum as they kept pressing to find the equalizer. The Stags would have back-to-back corner kicks in the 79th minute that resulted in shots from Gabby Diodati and Julia McGuire, but both of those attempts were blocked.
 
With less than eight minutes left in the game, the Stags would finally tie the score as Dumas received a pass to the top of the box from Tsangaris and was able to tap the ball past the keeper.
 
Bryant made a late surge to get a winning score taking two corner kicks and firing one shot in the final three minutes. That shot was their first attempt since netting their third goal in the 56th minute.
 
The Stags opened the first overtime period as the aggressors, as shots from Amy Akerley and Dumas required saves from Bryant's goalkeeper Meghan Dalton. Dumas was inches away from completing an impressive hat trick, but Dalton was able to dive to her left to stop the winning goal.
 
The Bulldogs kept the Stags on their heels in the second overtime period as they doubled their shot total by taking six attempts in that period. Only one of the shots required a save and it was easily handled by Aytana Muschajew.
 
Dumas led the Stags with her first multi-goal game after beginning her night with a game-tying goal in the 18th minute. Tsangaris would also record the assist on this goal as she headed a ball into the box that Dumas was able to finish.
 
The Stags out-shot the Bulldogs 21-12, including a 20-6 mark over the first 100 minutes. Dumas led the Stags with three of their seven shots on target.
 
Fairfield will have nearly a week break, next taking the field at Brown on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 7pm.