Box Score

Elmira, NY – The Elmira College Women's Soccer team dropped a conference contest to visiting Nazareth College, 4-1, Saturday afternoon on Campus Field. The win improves the Golden Flyers to 6-2-3 overall and 2-1-1 in the Empire 8, while the loss drops the Soaring Eagles to 3-6-1 overall and 2-2-0 in conference competition.

Nazareth got the scoring started in the 16th minute when Christine Belding took the ball down the right sideline playing a cross into the box. Olivia Derleth finished a one-time deflection into the left corner of the net, beating EC keeper Megan Lowe '13 (Leroy, NY -- Leroy) for the early 1-0 lead.

Elmira did well to respond as both teams had fairly equal shot attempts in the opening half with a slight 10-9 advantage to the Golden Flyers. In the 38th minute Kelsey Kiel '13 (Bryn Athyn, PA -- Academy of the New Church) made a phenomenal play as she took a corner kick from the right side and struck a beautiful ball that beat Naz keeper Abbie Carey into the top left side netting to tie it at 1-1.

Less than 30 seconds before halftime the Purple and Gold gave up a demoralizing and somewhat unlucky goal as Mel Gettys' initial shot was blocked, but Katie Trainor controlled the loose ball, drilling a low liner just inside the right post. The Golden Flyers took a 2-1 lead into intermission.

Out of the halftime break Naz used the momentum it gained at the very end of the second half to score two goals within a five minute span to open up a 4-1 lead. After an Elmira defender committed a foul in the box Tori Ryan converted a penalty kick in the 51st minute. Five minutes later Ryan played a through ball from left to right that found Sarah Eichelberger who touched it into the left hand corner of the goal.

Lowe had another big game in net for the Soaring Eagles stopping 11 shots, while Carey made eight saves for Nazareth, and was eventually replaced by Bethany Novak who gave up no goals and recorded no saves in 20 minutes in goal.

The Elmira College Women's Soccer team will host SUNY Fredonia in non-conference action Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. on Campus Field.