After splitting their opening weekend, the women’s soccer team advanced to 3-1 on the season and won two hard fought games over the week.

On Saturday, the Spartans edged out Wittenberg University for a 1-0 at DiSanto Field as the opening game of the doubleheader of Spartan sports on Saturday with the football opener. Sophomore forward Alexa Williams delivered Case Western Reserve University from the hands of overtime by being the only player on either team to finally find the back of the net.

The game was close through 88 minutes of scoreless play as both teams battled for any real lengthy possession. The teams traded a total of 18 shot attempts but only the final one found its mark. Senior forward Christine Straka collected a loose ball on the right sideline and crossed the ball to Williams, who fired a shot past the Wittenburg keeper for the deciding and only goal of the match.

Senior goalkeeper Abbey Smith needed just one save to earn her second shutout and second win of the season.

In Wednesday night’s game, the Spartans battled back from an early deficit to best SUNY Buffalo State. The Spartans were led by senior captain Jessie Sabers who scored both of Case’s goals.

Saber’s heroics came on the heels of the early goal by Buffalo State’s Brenna Knight, who took advantage of a penalty kick at the 6:22 mark and beat Smith. The Spartans were left fighting from behind for the rest of the half and were unable to tie the game until midway through the second half.

In the 73rd minute, sophomore midfielder Amy Lindberg forwarded a beautiful pass to Sabers who sent a solid shot from the corner in between the posts for her first goal of the 2014 campaign.

Her second goal of the season came just a little while later after the teams headed into overtime to break the 1-1 tie at the end of regulation. Sabers captured the game for the Spartans in the second minute of overtime as she dribbled past the Buffalo State defenders and drilled her shot into the back of the net.

The pair of goals increases Sabers’ career goals total to 18 and moves the captain into a tie for third in program history for most goals and her second goal was her ninth game winning shot, which is a Case record.

The Spartans return home for a pair of home matches beginning with a Sunday, Sept. 14 against Center College at 1:00 in the afternoon.