Courtesy of NazAthletics.com
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Senior Julia Delgatti scored all three goals, including the game-winner with 1:25 left in regulation Saturday, to lift host Nazareth to a 3-2 women’s soccer victory over Stevens in an exciting Empire 8 Conference game at Golden Flyer Stadium.
The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Golden Flyers, who improved to 7-4-1 overall and 3-1 in the Empire 8. Stevens dropped to 7-2-2 overall and 3-1 in conference games. Nazareth plays again Sunday at home against Sage in another Empire 8 Conference game at 1 p.m.
In winning, the Golden Flyers rallied from a 2-1 deficit as Delgatti netted the tying goal with 15 minutes left and then the game-winner 13 minutes after that. She leads the Golden Flyers with eight goals. Delgatti also scored three times in a game last season in a win over RIT and now has 22 career goals in two seasons.
The match was evenly played with quality scoring chances for both sides. Stevens had 21 shots to Nazareth’s 20. Nazareth keeper Hannah Miller was called upon to make 11 saves, while Stevens’ Lindsey Mahnken made nine.
The game was scoreless until the 33rd minute when Delgatti converted after breaking free along the right wing after receiving a brilliant one-touch pass from the midfield from Paige Sullivan, who gained the assist. Stevens tied the score five minutes later on a fluky goal that was credited to Erin Mellett. Nazareth defender Sarah Conroy attempted to clear the ball away from the goal mouth, but the pass deflected off Mellett’s face and back into the Nazareth goal.
Stevens took a 2-1 lead early in the second half as Julia Panko was awarded a free kick just outside the Nazareth penalty area. Panko delivered her sixth goal of the season on a perfectly placed blast into the upper right corner that Miller had little chance of reaching.
That set the stage for Delgatti’s late-game heroics. The tying goal came off a nice midfield pass from Samantha Sansone. Delgatti retrieved the pass, transferred the ball to her right foot and beat Mahnken from 15 yards out for the tally. Then, with the game clock winding down in regulation, Mia Strollo directed a pass up-field that Delgatti gathered in from outside the box and fired a 25-yard shot into the goal as Mahnken came out to cut down the angle.
Stevens, ranked 14th nationally, had allowed only four goals all season before Saturday. The Nazareth victory tightens up the E8 standings as Stevens, Hartwick and Nazareth stand tied with one conference loss apiece. The Ducks also play again Sunday at St. John Fisher, while Hartwick visits Alfred.
Leave a Reply