PHOTO GALLERY

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Hartford women's soccer team opened its 2012 season with an extended game forcing the visiting Fairleigh Dickinson Knights to a double overtime 1-1 stalemate at Alumni Stadium. The Hawks lone goal in the contest came with 35 seconds remaining in the first half off the boot of rookie striker Elise Galipo.

Overall for the contest the Hawks finished with a 15-8 edge in the shots column with the home team outshooting FDU 12-5 over the final 65 minutes. Hawks keeper Erin Quinlan was forced into making two saves one in each of the regulation periods and was not forced into action in the extra time. Her counterpart for the Knights made six total saves, five of which came in the second half and the final in the second overtime period.

Leading the Hawks offensive threat was Arielle Aikens who finished with five total shots, two of which were marked on goal. She was followed by sophomore Chanel Johnson who finished with three shots coming off the bench to spark the Hawks offense.

The Knights struck first eluding the Hawks defense in the 28th minute with Rachel Hoekstra scoring her first collegiate goal off a feed from Noelle Picone. Picone provided a chip pass through the defense where Hoekstra was able to work around a Hawks defender and boot the ball over the head of a diving Quinlan.

Galipo's first career goal, the first for the Hawks in 2012, came with just seconds remaining before the halftime break thanks to a blocked shot Johnson. Johnson, deep in FDU's half, struck a hard shot from inside the box that rebounded off of a Knights defender where Galipo collected and beat Knight's keeper Sage Dovale to the lower left corner.

Overall for the half, the teams finished even with three shots a piece. The Knights put two of those shots on goal, forcing Quinlan to make one save. That save came in the seventh minute as Amanda Goulet sent a weak free kick over the Hawks wall into the hand of a waiting Quinlan.

The Hawks went without a shot for the first 42 minutes of the half. Two of the three shots came off the boot of Galipo as she entered the pitch late in the half as a substitute on the offensive end.

The Hawks had a pair of attempts at the net with just under eight minutes remaining, the first off the boot of Johnson as she broke free of the defense but was met by Dovale for the junior keeper. Senior striker Amélia Pereira provided the second attempt 17 seconds later after she blasted a shot that deflected off Dovale for the Hawks corner kick.

With just under four minutes to play the Hawks had another pair of attempts, the first off the boot of Aikens as her cross attempt curled towards the net but was tipped over the crossbar by Dovale. The ensuing corner kick tipped off by Shealagh Begley (West Hartford, Conn.) found the boot of Johnson but Dovale was on the mark for her fifth save of the contest.

Neither team could convert in the overtime periods with the best opportunity coming from the Hawks with just over eight minutes left in the second extra period. The Hawks sixth corner kick of the contest found the head of senior Caroline Dixon whose header slipped just over the crossbar and fell behind the twine.

Hartford returns to action on Sunday afternoon when they welcome the Old Dominion Lady Monarchs to West Hartford for the second of four-straight home contests. The Hawks and ODU are scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start at Al-Marzook Field.