CULLOWHEE, N.C. --- Clarissa Salinas showed a little patience in the box before driving home the Golden Goal in the Chattanooga's 3-2 extra time win over Mercer in the quarterfinal round of the Southern Conference Tournament in Cullowhee, N.C.
 
In the final minute of the first overtime period, the Mocs made a move downfield led by Caroline Richvalsky. She fed the ball over to freshman E.G. Dillard just outside the penalty area in the middle of the field. Dillard dropped it to Salinas who was charging in from the right. She gathered the ball and took an extra step before booting the ball past the Mercer keeper just outside the six-yard box for the game winner with 50 seconds remaining.
 
Chattanooga improves to 7-8-3 overall while Mercer moves to 11-5-3 in its final game.
 
The win is the first for UTC in extra time in the Southern Conference Tournament. The Mocs beat Wofford 5-3 on penalty kicks in the first round at home in 2021 but fell in the semifinal to UNCG in double overtime in 2022 and 3-2 at Samford last season in the quarterfinal round.

 
Chattanooga scored a pair of goals early in the game in a span of 1:11. Richvalsky charged in toward the goal and picked up the ball off a free kick from Sophia Mize, stretching out to put a foot on the ball and guide it past Mercer's keeper to put the Mocs up 1-0 in the 20^th minute.
 
Dillard made it a 2-0 advantage in the 21^st minute on an unassisted goal. From just inside the left side of the penalty area, she hit a shot to the far side, into the back of the net for her first collegiate goal.
 
Mercer cut the Mocs lead in half in the 32^nd minute and scored the equalizer less than 10 minutes into the second half.
 
Chattanooga outshot Mercer 26-14 with a 9-5 shots on goal advantage. Richvalsky had eight shots with four on goal. Salinas found the goal on her fifth shot of the match and Dillard had four for the Mocs.
 
Caroline Ekern played a season-high 99:13 in goal and made three saves for her seventh win of the year.
 
"Extremely proud of the team," Mocs head coach Gavin McKinney said. "What a game and what an effort. We've grown tremendously this season and I'm so happy for the girls. Now it's time to recover and get ready for the semifinal Sunday."
 
The Mocs advance to the semifinal against top-seeded Western Carolina to be played in Cullowhee, N.C., at 2:00 p.m. The Catamounts beat No. 8 Wofford 6-1 with six first-half goals.
 
UTC fell to the Catamounts 1-0 in the season-finale in Chattanooga on October 27.
 
No.    Time         Team    Goal scorer                                    Assist
1.        19:29        UTC       Caroline Richvalsky (7)               Sophia Mize
2.        20:40        UTC       EG Dillard (1)                                  (unassisted)
3.        31:56        MER      Larkin Thomason (15)                  Sara Engels
4.        54:25        MER      Larkin Thomason (16)                  Jada Moorman
5.        99:13        UTC       Clarissa Salinas (3)                      Caroline Richvalsky, EG Dillard
 
NOTES
- Sixth time UTC has gone to overtime in the SoCon Tournament … first win on Golden Goal.
- Fourth time advancing to the semifinal round … UTC is 0-3 in the semifinal and went to overtime against UNCG falling 1-2 in two overtime periods.
- Golden Goal was reinstated in the postseason this year.
- Caroline Richvalsky scored the first goal of the match, her seventh of the season, and had her third assist of the year, aiding the game winner.
- Eight shots tonight is second most for the junior forward … she had nine against Mercer earlier this season.
- Caroline Richvalsky leads Chattanooga with 17 points … moved to a tie for seventh all-time at UTC for goals scored – tied with Brooke Crandall ('03) and takes sole possession of eighth on the all-time assists chart with 11.
- Third goal of the season for Clarissa Salinas … third on the team in scoring with seven points.
- First collegiate goal for E.G. Dillard.
- Caroline Ekern is seven games behind Stacey Matthiessen on Chattanooga's career wins list with 23.
 
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