CLARKSBURG, W.Va. – Fortune frowned on the West Liberty University women's soccer team once again Wednesday night as a fluke goal in overtime lifted Salem to a 3-2 win in non-conference action at Robert C. Byrd High School.
    It was the third overtime loss of the season for Coach Barry Christmas' hard-luck Lady Hilltoppers (0-4-1) and the fourth time in five outings that a West Liberty match has stretched past regulation.
    Tamara Queiroz was in the right place at the right time to score the golden goal for the host Tigers (2-1-0) in the 94th minute.
    Seconds after the WLU women had forced a corner kick that they were unable to convert, Salem's counter-attack appeared to have been blunted when a West Liberty defender took possession and tried to clear through heavy traffic.
    Unfortunately for the Black and Gold, the clearing attempt struck another defender and deflected over the heads of the WLU back line where Queiroz alertly volleyed it just over the head of Hilltopper keeper Olivia Montgomery for the game-winner.
    The Hilltoppers had carried a 1-0 lead into intermission after Layne Hartnell broke the scoring ice with an unassisted goal in the seventh minute of action.
    West Liberty maintained that advantage until Salem scored two goals in a 55-second span shortly after play resumed in the second half.
    Aliyah Armijo finished off a nice assist from Queiroz for the equalizer in the 57th minute and Kiara Pennycooke knocked in a rebound shot in the 58th minute to put Salem on top.
    A hustling Kaylee Hilliard evened things up for the Hilltoppers when she stepped in front of a pass by a Tiger defender just in front of the Salem goal and redirected it into the net to knot the score at 2-2.
    West Liberty outshot the Tigers by a 14-12 margin with Montgomery and Salem keeper Valentina Bonaiuto each being charted with three saves.
    The Hilltoppers return to Mountain East Conference action on Sunday with a 2 p.m. match at Fairmont State.
  West Liberty                                  1  1  0 – 2
Salem                                               0  2  1 – 3      WLU: Layne Hartnell (unassisted), 6:26      SU: Aliyah Armijo (Tamara Queiroz), 57:07
     SU: Kiara Pennycooke (unassisted), 58:02
     WLU: Kaylee Hilliard (unassisted), 62:17      SU: Tamara Queiroz (unassisted), 93:58      Shots: West Liberty 14, Salem 12
     Saves: West Liberty 3 (Olivia Montgomery 3), Salem 3 (Valentina Bonaiuto 3)
     Corners: West Liberty 1, Salem 4
A: 205