WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Manhattanville College women's soccer team kicked off the 2017 season with a 1-1 (OT) draw at the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) on Friday afternoon at the USJ Soccer Field.
 
Freshman Jess Roman (Weston, Fla./NSU University School) scored the lone goal of the game for Manhattanville (0-0-1) and fired a game-high seven shots, while sophomore Bella Beltrami (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) kept her team in the game by making eight saves in her first collegiate start.
 
The Valiants struck first in the 34th minute after a Blue Jay hand ball just outside the penalty area. Roman got the call on the free kick and found the back of the net on the second shot of her collegiate career to put the Valiants ahead. The visitors maintained their one-goal advantage into halftime, as Beltrami made four saves to keep the team ahead after 45 minutes.
 
Manhattanville kept its advantage until the 52nd minute, when Saint Joseph's Amanda Ghent managed to find the net to knot the score at one. Both teams had their chances to take the lead after that, but one more save from Beltrami and one from USJ keeper Megan Ricci helped send the match into overtime.
 
The two squads again had opportunities in extra time, but neither team managed to break the tie and the contest ended in a 1-1 draw. Beltrami added three more saves to her ledger in extra time to give her a career-high eight, while Ricci had two more saves to finish the afternoon with six stops.
 
The Valiants finished the match with a 20-15 edge in total attempts, as well as a 6-2 edge in corner kicks.
 
Manhattanville will remain on the road for its next contest, when the Valiants travel to Drew University for a 6 p.m. match with the Rangers.