Courtesy of UofRAthletics.com
FAUVER STADIUM – Rochester scored two goals in the latter stages of the first half to claim a 2-1 women’s soccer victory over Alfred State College on Sunday afternoon.
The victory gives the Yellowjackets a 4-0-1 overall record. It’s the best five-game start since 2011 when the team began 5-0. Alfred State is 2-1. The Pioneers posted victories over SUNY Delhi, 4-1, and SUNY Cobleskill, 9-0, last week.
Pamela Chan and Emily Henry scored the Yellowjacket goals. Rochester held a 19-8 edge in total shots, 7-3 in shots on goal. Alfred State goalkeeper Allison Danielak made five saves and the Yellowjackets hit the post once. Samantha Hlavac made two saves in the first half for UR and allowed the ASC goal. Emma Campbell played the second half. She did not face a shot on goal, but did have two challenging moments which almost gave the visitors an equalizer.
With just over 19 minutes to play, the Rochester defense missed a clearance opportunity. ASC’s Brooke Geibel raced in alone and fired the ball past the reach of Campbell but it went narrowly past the left post. With the clock approaching five minutes left, ASC sent Geibel on another breakaway. As she tried to pull away, she was dragged down from behind, five yards outside the box. Rochester’s Sydney Melton was red-carded on the play for denying the opportunity at goal. Julia Yanarella took the free kick from 22 yards away. She mis-hit it and the ball skipped wide to the right.
The match was 11 minutes old when Alfred State capitalized on a deflection. A pass was sent into the middle from left wing. The defense deflected it in the box. ASC’s Michayla Salatel headed the ball past Hlavac who had charged off the line. The ball went into the open net, putting ASC up, 1-0.
Rochester had two good chances in a four-minute period as the first half reached its midpoint. Kerry Eden got to a ball in the middle of the penalty area but her shot for the low left corner struck a teammate and bounced away. Less than four minutes later, Eden swept in the right side and crossed the ball to Hannah Wadsworth. She fired for the low left corner but Danielak made a great save, diving at the last instant and palming the ball clear.
The Yellowjackets finally broke through in the 32nd minute. Pamela Chan ended a goalmouth scramble by touching the ball into the net. The gamewinning goal was scored in the 44th minute. Henry volleyed it inside the left post.
Rochester is idle until Saturday when longtime foe William Smith comes to Fauver Stadium for a 7 pm tilt. Three of Rochester’s next four games come against opponents ranked in the preseason Top 25 poll conducted by the United Soccer Coaches (formally the National Soccer Coaches Association of America): No. 4 William Smith (September 16 at Fauver), #24 Nazareth (September 26 at Nazareth), #3 Chicago (September 30 at Fauver).
Alfred State returns home to play SUNY Poly at 6 pm on Wednesday.
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