Box Score
Elmira, NY – The Elmira College Women's Soccer team made a frantic comeback in the final five minutes against visiting Houghton College but fell just short, 3-2, Saturday afternoon on Campus Field. The win improves the Highlanders to 11-6-0 overall and 6-2 in Empire 8 competition, while the loss drops the Soaring Eagles to 4-10-1 overall and a 2-5 mark in conference play.
Jen Bowman got the scoring started in the 19th minute when she converted on a penalty kick after an Elmira defender committed a foul in the box. The Highlanders took a 1-0 lead into intermission after EC keeper
Megan Lowe '13 made five big first half saves to keep the deficit at just one. Meanwhile the Purple and Gold were able to get just one shot on goal in the opening half.
The Soaring Eagles upped its intensity out of the halftime break and it paid off in the 52nd minute when
Ellie Hamilton '13 drilled a shot from 20 yards out beating Houghton goalie Shawna Sprout into the top right corner. The Highlanders responded 14 minutes later when Stephany Ellison collected the ball at the top of the 18, dribbled to the left, and placed a shot into the right corner of the net to regain a 2-1 lead.
In the 85th minute Houghton added an insurance marker, which would prove critical. Ellison played a through ball up the middle, as
Lowe came charging out of net. She got a piece of the ball but Sarah Gabriele's shot deflected into the left side of the net for a 3-1 Highlander lead. With just over a minute remaining
Kimi Girmus '16
played a cross from the left corner to
Janine Swanson '14 who made a run to the edge of the box at the near post.
Swanson played a quick touch to
Emily Karpinski '14
who beat the keeper into the left corner. EC had one chance in the final 30 seconds as
Kelsie DeKarski '14
made a nice run on a lob pass up the middle, but Sprout came sprinting out of the penalty box to kick the ball away.
Houghton held a 23-8 shots and 13-5 shots on goal advantage in the contest. Sprout and Katie Phillips each played a half in goal for Houghton, combining to make three saves.
Lowe made 10 huge stops in net for Elmira.
The EC Women's Soccer team returns to the pitch Tuesday when it travels to take on SUNY Geneseo starting at 3:00 p.m.
