By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Aquinas girls’ soccer team needed more than 20 minutes to launch its first shot on net Saturday afternoon.
Emily Silverstein made it worth the wait.
The junior forward didn’t need as much time for her second attempt.
Silverstein found the back of the net twice in a nearly seven-minute span, and Aquinas went on to defeat Nardin (VI), 2-1.
“The beginning was a little struggle, but we got it back luckily,” she said. “We just got our energy back. We all calmed down and focused.”
Amaris Watts played a service from the left side that Silverstein received outside the 18-yard box. With a trio of defenders on her back, she turned and found a sliver of space for a shot that beat the goalie on the inside post for a 1-nil lead with 17:25 remaining in the first half.
“I didn’t see it go in because I was falling,” she said. “She was kinda on my back, and I swung. I turned and I fell backward.”
Emily Silverstein takes an Amaris Watts pass and finds back of the net to give @aqgvs a 1-nil lead midway through the first half. pic.twitter.com/naZlceubdp
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 25, 2021
Giuliana Tomaszewski set up Silverstein’s second marker.
Tomaszewski won a ball along the left sideline and touched a pass to Silverstein who took one dribble before letting fly from 28 yards away on a shot that she tucked under the crossbar.
Playing without fellow starters Hanna Fenton, Isabella Fiorillo and Sophia Hartman Aquinas (3-5-0) snapped a three-game losing streak with Saturday’s win.
Giuliana Tomaszewski wins a ball in the offensive third and feeds Emily Silverstein for her second goal in 6 minutes. @aqgvs 2-nil. pic.twitter.com/tggaMcixZc
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 25, 2021
“It feels good because those three losses they were games that we could have won,” Silverstein said of the three contests decided by one goal apiece. “They were all disappointments because we put up such a good fight especially because we were always coming back.
“It’s hard without the three of them, but I feel like we’re doing pretty good. I think we’re going to have a fresh start.”
With the two tallies, Silverstein ran her team-high individual total to six on the season. She had a pair of chances to notch her seventh in the second stanza. Two free kicks just missed the mark and another shot was stopped.
Emily Silverstein came this close to no. 3. pic.twitter.com/3FfmmPi7qI
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 25, 2021
Kate Sproul made six saves for her second clean sheet of the season.
Aquinas plays at Mendon on Monday. A 7 p.m. kick off is scheduled.
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