As the seconds began ticking off in the final minute of regulation on Friday, Colorado College could smell victory.

Then the unthinkable occurred. One critical call against the Tigers – legitimate as it may have been – changed everything.

Utah State University scored on a penalty kick with 44 seconds left in the second half, and the host Aggies salvaged a 1-1 tie with CC in non-conference action at Bell Soccer Field.

Until junior forward Shantel Flanary converted to pull USU even, it looked as though Brittney Lyman's third tally of the season at the 65-minute mark would stand as the game winner.

Lyman, who now has struck nine times in her last eight matches dating back to last October, beat Aggies keeper Molli Merrill from six yards out on a set piece from junior defender Beth Wright to snap a scoreless deadlock after the teams combined for just one shot on goal in the first half.

“We were flat in the first half,” head coach Geoff Bennett said. “Utah State is not an easy place to play. It's a field we're not accustomed to, in a town we're not accustomed to, against a team that played really hard against us. But I thought we rose to the occasion in the second half, when we generated some good chances, and we also played very well in the second overtime period.”

Colorado College's second consecutive tie kept the Tigers undefeated on the road, at 1-0-2, and gave them a 2-1-2 overall mark for the season heading into Sunday's outing in Salt Lake City against the University of Utah.

Utah State was whistled for 16 fouls in Friday's battle, compared to eight called against CC. Junior goalkeeper Caitlin Hulyo faced only three shots, including the PK, and didn't need to make her first save until the 83rd minute of play. Merrill finished with three stops at the other end. 

The scoreless first half ended with the Tigers holding a 4-3 edge in corner kicks. Sophomore Hannah Peterson launched half of the team's six shots before intermission, and finally put one on net with 17 seconds left that resulted in the only save by either keeper in the opening 45 minutes. Peterson led Colorado College with four attempts altogether in the contest.