The University of Maine women’s soccer team and Merrimack College from North Andover, Massachusetts, battled to a 1-1 tie on Thursday night at Mahaney Diamond in Orono.
What was different from previous seasons is that the two teams didn’t play overtime.
Starting this year, the NCAA has eliminated overtime for regular season soccer games and also changed the overtime format for playoff games.
UMaine head women’s coach Scott Atherley said he has “mixed feelings” about not having overtime in regular season games.
“As a competitor, I always want to have the opportunity to win,” Atherley said. “However, when you look at the totality of the season, playing overtime during a two-game week puts an added load on your players. Not having overtime preserves your players, especially in a compact season.”
Previously, if a regular season game was tied after the regulation 90 minutes, the teams played two 10-minute overtime periods — swapping ends after the first period — and the game ended when a goal was scored. If nobody scored during the overtimes, the game went into the books as a tie.
In playoff games, the teams would follow the regular season overtime format with two 10-minute periods and the first goal ended it. If nobody scored, it went to a penalty kick shootout.
This fall, a playoff overtime game will include two 10-minute periods but the teams will play the entire 20 minutes regardless of how many goals are scored. If the game is still tied, it goes to the penalty kick shootout.
Husson University of Bangor women’s soccer coach Dennis Mullins called it a “smart decision,” especially for non-conference games.
“It minimizes the risk of injuries so I’m happy about it,” Mullins said.
Atherley and Mullilns prefer playing the entire 20-minute overtime rather than having the first goal decide it.
In the old format, which was called the golden goal, “there were so many scenarios where you’ll see a fluke mishap” that led to the game-winning goal, Atherley said.
“So it wouldn’t justify the result. I would rather play the entire overtime and get a true reflection of the deserved winner,” he said.
