Bates scores game winner in OT for GCC in the Division III soccer national quarterfinals

Contributed Photo – Samantha Bates

Holley High graduate Samantha Bates provided the game winning goal in dramatic fashion as No. 6 seed Genesee Community College nipped No. 3 Rowan College South Jersey Gloucester 1-0 in overtime this evening in the quarterfinals of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III women’s soccer national championship tournament.

Bates, who is a sophomore, scored the dramatic goal on a direct kick from 30 plus yards out with only 29 seconds remaining in the second overtime period.

The goal was the team leading 15th of the season for Bates who has been named Mid State Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

Byron-Bergen graduate and GCC freshman Natalie Prinzi earned the shutout in goal.

GCC will now face No. 2 seed Dallas-Brookhaven in the semifinals on Friday. Dallas-Brookhaven blanked No. 7 Mohawk Valley 3-0 earlier in the day.

The game was originally scheduled to be played on Tuesday at Herkimer Community College but because of bad weather was postponed until today at SUNY-Poly near Utica.

Video of the winning goal which can be viewed on the Hub’s Facebook and X page courtesy of Renee Wolf.