Overtime is going to have a different format for area girls’ soccer teams this fall.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association Central Committee on July 26 approved changing the regular and postseason overtime procedures for the sport.

Regular season games will consist of two 10-minute sudden victory overtime periods. Previously regular season games that ended in a tie after two 40-minute halves consisted of two 10-minute overtime periods, even if a team scored in the first overtime.

Beginning with sectional play and continuing through the NYSPHSAA tournament, overtimes will consist of two 15-minute sudden victory overtime period, and if the game is still tied, it will go straight to penalty kicks.

Previous format was two 10-minute overtimes like in the regular season but followed by two 5-minute sudden victory overtime periods before sending the game to penalty kicks.

The only exception is the state championship game where co-champions may be declared after the two 15-minute sudden victory overtime periods.

This brings the girls’ overtime procedure in line with the process used by the boys.

The proposal was made by the state’s girls’ soccer committee on April 6, and the community unanimously voted in favor of the proposal.

The committee believes this format would create a better opportunity to establish a winner of the game. The committee also believed field conditions are not as significant a detriment than they previously were because of the amount of turf fields now in use for girls’ soccer.