Score: Fredonia State 5, Elmira College 2
Records: Fredonia State (5-12-1), Elmira College (3-12-0)
Location: University Stadium – Fredonia, NY
Fredonia, NY -- The Elmira College women's soccer team fell, 5-2, on the road against Fredonia State in the last non-conference game of the 2015 regular season.
The Blue Devils wasted no time before pulling out to what proved to be an insurmountable lead in the first half. It took them only 69 seconds to net the first goal, and two-and-a-half minutes to jump ahead by two.
On the 10th minute, Fredonia junior Kristie Kleine added her second straight goal, her seventh of the season, on a breakaway, and less than three minutes later, sophomore Audrey Yokopovich headed a corner kick inside the far post to make it 4-0 in favor of Fredonia.
The Soaring Eagles responded with two unanswered goals while holding the red-hot Fredonia offense scoreless for nearly 75 minutes to cut the deficit in half.
Amy Sullivan '18 scored the first goal of her EC career in the 18th minute.
Making her second consecutive start in goal for Elmira,
Amanda Banner '17 provided a pair of key saves in the 34th and 35th minutes. The third-year keeper denied Michelle Hale and Karly Torppey of scores less than a minute apart to keep the Blue Devils within three.
On the opposite end of the field,
Maddie Miller '17 found herself in prime scoring position, but sailed the first shot attempt over the net. Her next shot attempt in the 36th minute was saved by Fredonia keeper Kendal Owczarzak. Less than a minute later,
Katie D'Amico '16 ripped a shot, but it also flew high over the goal.
Banner kept the Blue Devils in check to start the second half before
Sara Kazerouni '18 made it a two-goal game. EC's netminder was forced to stop a pair of shots a mere eight seconds apart in the 48th minute.
Kazerouni then scored her third goal of the season, tying her career high, exactly 57 minutes into the game. Her tally put the game within reach at 4-2.
Scrambling to come from behind,
Rachael Smith '16 fired a shot from the right wing to the lower right corner in the 85th minute, but Owczarzak was there to scoop the ball. Elmira was then flagged on a critical offsides call in the 87th minute with an important scoring chance developing.
Fredonia would race down the field after the change of possession and tack on a fifth goal in the 88th minute.
Turning PointThe Blue Devils caught the Soaring Eagles off guard with two goals in the first 2:26. The eventual game-winner, however, came off of the foot of Kleine in the 10th minute on a breakaway, making it 3-0 in favor of Fredonia. Although Elmira finished one shy of its season high in total shots, it was unable to muster enough offense to overcome that early deficit.
Inside the Box- Kazerouni and Sullivan each scored once for EC.
- The Blue Devils were led by Kleine, who scored twice with one assist.
- Fredonia State outshot Elmira, 26-to-21.
- Niki Lemper '17 and Kazerouni led the Soaring Eagles with four shots each.
- The Blue Devils had nine corner kicks; EC had none.
- Banner made eight saves in goal.
News and Notes- Kazerouni's tally was her third of the year, tying her career high.
- Sullivan's goal was the first of her career.
- The 21 shots attempted by EC were the second-most in a game in 2015, one shy of the season-high vs. Alfred State on October 17th.
- Elmira's 12 shots on goal were tied for the second-most in a game, two shy of the season high.
- Banner started consecutive games for the first time since doing so against Clarkson University and St. Lawrence University on September 18th and 19th.
Up NextThe Elmira College women's soccer team will end the regular season at home with Class of 2016 Recognition Day. The Soaring Eagles will honor their graduating seniors pregame at Campus Field before taking on Alfred University in Empire 8 Conference action at 12:00 p.m.