Panthers beat St. Olaf in closing minutes

ORANGE, Calif. - The Chapman University women's soccer team has played well at home all season long. But the Panthers needed a goal with 2:33 remaining in the game to dispose of visiting St. Olaf College (Minn.) 3-2 on Saturday night at Wilson Field. With the win, Chapman improved its home record to 5-2 this season.

Junior F Stephanie Lambrakis scored the game-winner in the 88th minute from the left side snapping a 2-2 tie and giving Chapman (7-8) its second victory in its past three games.

The Panthers never trailed, scoring their first goal at 6:02 from junior D Kim Grant. Chapman led for most of the first half, but St. Olaf (7-5-1) scored a late goal with just over two minutes remaining in the first half to knot it at 1-1 going into halftime.

Chapman jumped back on top with a goal from freshman F Kate Lilly in the 68th minute. Lilly, who leads the Panthers with eight goals this season, went one-on-one with Oles' GK Samantha Sickbert, skipped it past her and knocked the ball into the empty net. This time the Panthers' lead lasted less than four minutes as St. Olaf's Lindsay Howard headed in a corner kick pass for the game-tying goal at 70:28.

Lambrakis' game-winner - her fifth goal of the year - found the lower-right corner of the goal beating Sickbert after dribbling in off the left side.

Senior GK Emily Clark made two saves in goal for Chapman.