Houston – It took all of 15 seconds for the Rattlers to get into gear in their second victory of the season on Sunday, though the game would come down to the last three minutes with a clutch St. Mary’s women’s soccer squad preventing overtime against Texas Southern.

Leah Snelson (Jr., Dallas) doubled-up on all ends Sunday, netting her first and second goals on the season to score half of the Rattlers’ goals, while Kaitie Kasperitis scored the other in game-winning fashion with three minutes remaining in the 4-3 victory over the Tigers.

Snelson also assisted the other two Ratter goals from Leia Kirch (Sr., Carrollton, Texas) and Kasperitis (So., Corpus Christi, Texas) in a game that could have quickly turned into extra minutes at the Northside ISD Soccer Field.

Snelson found the back of net 15 seconds after ball left the circle Sunday, assisted by older sister Emilie Snelson (Sr., Fairview, Texas), that sparked a St. Mary’s (2-2, 0-1 in conference) offensive trek. But the Tigers gained from the spark as well, tying the game before half and pulling ahead in the second with another goal to make it 2-1.

It was Snelson that kicked St. Mary’s back into the game with her second goal on the day assisted by Kirch, making it an even 2-2 ballgame. Snelson then returned the favor to Kirch just two minutes later, as the senior netted her first goal on the season, assisted by Snelson. A capitalized-upon penalty kick would bring the Rattlers and Tigers (1-6) tied again, 3-3, for a stalemate that reached until the final three minutes of the game.

As the clock neared the 90-minute mark, Rattlers sharp-shooter Kasperitis was found, again by Snelson, to sink the game-winner and her second goal on the season to bring St. Mary’s its second win on the season and its first road win.

In addition to leading in goals and assists, Snelson also had a team-high six shots with five shot on goal, nearly half of the Rattlers’ 12 shots on goal for the day. Kasperitis and Jamey Coronado (Jr., San Antonio) each had two near-misses, and Kirch, Amanda Cardoza (Jr., El Paso, Texas) and Katy Belew (So., Corpus Christi, Texas) each had one shot on goal. Keeper Paola Ostos (Jr., El Paso, Texas) totaled seven saves to improve her win-loss record to 1-2.

St. Mary’s will be back at home to compete against East Central University at 2 p.m. Friday at Northside ISD Soccer Field.

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