MISSOULA, Mont. – In the waning moments of the first period of overtime at South Campus Stadium, Friday night, Washington State junior Kailiana Johnson smashed a penalty shot past Montana's on-looking goalkeeper, Kailey Norman, to give the WSU soccer team (4-0-0) a 1-0 victory over the Lady Griz (2-2-1).

The Cougars' penalty came after WSU junior Kaitlyn Johnson dribbled a ball into the left edge of the box. A hard challenge from behind by a Montana defender forced the referee to point to the spot with just five seconds remaining in the opening extra period. Kailiana Johnson converted the game-winner and gave WSU its eighth goal scorer through four matches.

“First of all, I thought coach Mark [Plakorus] and Montana had a great game plan,” WSU Head Coach Todd Shulenberger said. “It's always tough losing in overtime in that scenario, but that team will win a lot of ball games this year. We're definitely excited for the win. I was very pleased with our second-half performance, and we moved the ball well. We left three or four chances on the table, but this team has been in pressure situations over the years and found a way win.”

Washington State and Montana played 99 minutes of scoreless soccer, in which the Cougars held an 18-7 shot advantage over the Lady Griz. WSU had five attempts on frame to Montana's four. WSU spent much of the evening trying to play through balls in past a high offside trap by the Griz.

WSU's redshirt-freshman goalkeeper, Ella Dederick, played an aggressive match, regularly coming off her line to grab dangerous balls being played in to the box. Her methods proved effective as Dederick and the Cougars notched their first clean sheet of the season, shutting out a team on the road for the first time since beating No. 9 California, 1-0, last October.

On the stat sheet, the Lady Griz and Cougars each had two corner kicks, while Montana committed eight fouls to WSU's four. Washington State earned its first single-overtime victory since defeating Gonzaga last season, 2-1, in Spokane, Wash.

The Cougars return to Pullman to host a pair of nonconference matches next week against Oklahoma State, Friday, Sept. 11, and Cal State Fullerton, Sunday, Sept. 13, at Lower Soccer Field.

COUGAR NOTES

Kailiana Johnson's goal was her first of the season and seventh of her career…Johnson's conversion marks the Cougars' ninth goal of the season and eighth goal scorer of the year…Ella Dederick recorded the first shutout of her career…the shutout is WSU's first of the season and first on the road since beating No. 9 California, Oct. 3, 2014…the win gives WSU its first overtime win since Oct. 19, 2014 against Oregon, and first single-overtime win since beating Gonzaga, Sept. 12, 2014…WSU improves to 10-6-1 all-time against Montana, having won the last six matchups…the Cougars improve to 107-68-19 all-time in the month of September.