ELMIRA, N.Y. -- After conceding a goal to Alfred State late in the opening half, the Elmira College women's soccer team rattled off three unanswered goals to secure a 3-1 victory and clinch EC's first victory of the 2019 campaign.
The Soaring Eagles (1-2-0) outshot the visiting Pioneers (0-2-1) by a six-shot margin, 17-11, and held a 7-4 advantage in shots on goal. Elmira also held a slight edge in corner-kick chances, 4-3. That helped the Purple and Gold produce a season-high-tying three tallies for the second consecutive game inside the friendly confines of Campus Field.
Alfred State's Riley Mucher gave the visitors the first lead of the game in the 36th minute, as she scored her first goal of the season by cashing in on a free-kick from the edge of the box. However, the lead was short-lived for the Pioneers thanks to the efforts of rookie wing-back
Kelly Keegan '23.
In the 39th minute, a shot by
Lauren Foster '23 caromed off of the post, but the Pioneers failed to clear the ball as it leaked out to the 35-yard mark. From there, Keegan charged the ball and curled it over Alfred State's outstretched keeper for the game-tying goal.
Following the halftime intermission, senior striker
Nicole Hanselman '20 deposited her first marker of the season to give Elmira the lead for good. After making a stop, EC goalkeeper
Ally Knorr-Anderson '23 punted the ball past the midfield stripe. The ball took a fortunate bounce over the Alfred State backline, and a hustling Hanselman to beat the Pioneers to the spot inside the 18-yard box. She finished with her right foot, beating Laura Mecca to the left side of the net in the 53rd minute.
The Soaring Eagles continued to apply significant pressure on the Alfred State defense for the remainder of the contest, utilizing the speed of
Taylor Hanson '21 and Hanselman to drive through balls down the wings and through the heart of the backline. Third-year midfielder
Zoya Katta '21 was finally able to seal the victory in the 85th minute with a magnificent strike from about 23 yards out. Cutting back towards the middle of the field, she took a rip that sailed to the far corner and just under the crossbar to put EC ahead by two.
In Their Own Words…
Head Coach
Kaitlyn Mallernee when asked about Elmira's first win of the 2019 campaign…
"All wins are exciting, but even more exciting when you know that everyone contributed their best to solidify the team win. We filled roles today, whether that was playing 100 percent on the pitch, coming off the bench to bring fresh energy, or cheering from the sideline. Today's win came from hard work leading up to today's match against Alfred State. This team wants to prove that we are here to compete, pushing each other to get better, and coming together as a family to make that happen."
Coach Mallernee on what it took to overcome the early deficit for the comeback victory...
"I'm pleased that everything finally came together for a full 90 minutes on the pitch. Offense made runs, midfield connected passes, and the defense held strong."
News and Notes
- Elmira improved to 1-2-0 through its first three games of the season, while Alfred State fell to 0-2-1.
- The Soaring Eagles tied a season a single-game high with three goals and set a new season-high with 17 shots.
- Hanselman paced all players with three points with one goal and one assist.
- Katta's goal moved the Fredonia, New York, native into a two-way tie for first on the team with two goals.
- Keegan netted the first goal of her collegiate career to spark the comeback win.
- Knorr-Anderson earned her first win in goal by making a trio of saves.
- Fellow rookies Lauren Shanahan '23, Willow Tompkins '23, Zoe Smith '23, and Emma Rice '23 each appeared in their first game of the season against the Pioneers.
Up Next
The Elmira women hit the road on Saturday, September 14, when the Soaring Eagles visit the Blue Devils of Fredonia for a non-conference match at 1:00 p.m.
