KISSIMMEE, Fla. – It took a hat trick from Cassidi Calzaretta and a rally for the OUAZ women's soccer team to pull out a 4-3 overtime victory over Erskine in their pool play opener at the 2019 NCCAA National Championship on Monday evening at the Austin-Tindall Sports Complex.
 
Despite controlling most of the action all game and posting a 24-6 edge in shot attempts, OUAZ (14-7) had to rally twice for the win. Erskine (7-10-1) took a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute when Katie Cauble scored on the Flying Fleet's first shot of the game.
 
Calzaretta would settle things down for the Spirit with the first of her three goals in the 33rd minute to level the game at 1-1 after taking a feed from Sarah Inafuku. She then put her team ahead 2-1 in the 38th minute after getting setup by Paige Murray-Hernandez.
 
OUAZ held that advantage until the 51st minute when Maddi Cole tied the game for Erskine. The seventh-seeded Flying Fleet then put some pressure on the third-seeded Spirit when Edie Demedicis scored in the 79th minute for a 3-2 lead.
 
That lead only held for 76 seconds Alyce Hancock delivered her first goal of the season after a feed Inafuku for the equalizer in the 80th minute. OUAZ was unable to find a regulation winner despite four shots in the final 10 minutes.
 
The Spirit did find their golden goal in the 95th minute when Calzaretta finished the team's first hat trick of the season. After collecting an Inafuku ball in the penalty area, she turned and put her shot inside the left post to ignite the celebration.
 
Calzaretta took six total shots with her three goals the only attempts on frame. The hat trick is the fifth in program history and first since October 1, 2018. She now has nine goals on the season to rank second on the team. The three assists from Inafuku tied the school record.
 
Eight of the Spirit's 24 shot attempts finished on goal and the held a 6-1 edge in corner kicks. Erskine scored on its three shots on goal.
 
The win has OUAZ atop Pool C following day one and in position to advance to the semifinals with a win over Mid-America Christian when the teams meet on Wednesday at 4 p.m. (AZ).