A good start and finish Monday lifted the Cassopolis girls soccer team to a 3-2 overtime win over Brandywine.

The game-winning goal came from Kortenei Suggs, who scored for the Rangers with 8:16 left in the second 10-minute overtime period. The shot, which came inside the goal box, hit the left post first and then went into the goal.

After regulation, the two BCS Athletic Conference rivals were tied at 2.

“I had a good feeling about overtime,” said Cassopolis girls soccer coach Oli Olafsson. “We had some strategy and it worked. This team has big hearts. We deserved this win.”

The Bobcats outshot the Rangers, 5-4 in overtime, with the final shot coming from Brandywine. But the Bobcats were unable to tie the game with :59 left in the second 10-minute period as Brooke Smith’s direct kick from 40 yards hit the crossbar.

A strong second half helped Brandywine erase a 2-0 deficit. Jaleesa Garner’s header from 15 yards, which rolled slowly into the net, cut Cassopolis’ lead to 2-1 with 39:10 left in the game. Garner took advantage of Rangers’ goalie Brittney Prestly, who was out of her goal playing defense.

The Bobcats tied the game at 2 with 10:28 remaining in the game after getting a goal from Cassie Luczkowski off a corner kick assist from Smith.

‘I’m very proud of our girls for fighting back,” said Brandywine girls soccer coach Evan Winkler. “Cass played more of a complete game than us. I’d love to have that first 20 minutes back.”

In the first half, Cassopolis got a goal from Lotte Peterson with 31:36 showing on the clock and a breakaway goal from Suggs with 18:19 left in the first half.

Brandywine had a great chance to score on its first shot, but came up empty as Garner’s kick from five yards hit the crossbar with 36:30 left in the first half.

“The game might have been different if (Garner) would have scored,” Winkler said.

 

CASSOPOLIS 3, BRANDYWINE 2 (overtime)

Halftime Score

Cassopolis 2, Brandywine 0

 

First Half

C – Lotte Pederson 31:56

C – Kortenei Suggs 18:19

 

Second Half

B – Jaleesa Garner 39:10

B – Cassie Luczkowski (Brooke Smith assist) 10:28

 

Overtime

(second 10-minute period)

C – Suggs 8:16

 

Shots on goal

Cassopolis 13, Brandywine 14

 

Saves

C – 3 (Brittney Prestly)

BW – 6 (Sloan Kangus)

 

Corner kicks

Cassopolis 4, Brandywine 3

Varsity records: Cassopolis 2-1, 2-0 BCS; Brandywine 3-1, 1-1 BCS