UTICA, NY - Timely goals and constant offensive pressure guided the Utica University women's soccer team to its 2-1 Empire 8 First Round win over the Hartwick College Hawks on Tuesday evening.
The Hawks began the game on the attack as the team attempted three of its five first half shots within the nine minutes of the game. Two saves by
Courtney Connolly (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) and a block by a Utica defender kept Hartwick off the board early. From the 10th minute until the 45th minute, the Pioneers held full offensive control.
After attempting 10 shots, including a
Jenna Keeman (Douglas, MA/Douglas) free kick that sailed off the crossbar,
Mikayla Kelley (Ballston Spa/Ballston Spa) came through for the biggest moment of her career thus far. Off of a nice feed from
Jacinta Kaminski (Holland Patent, NY/Holland Patent), Kelley went top-shelf from about 20 yards out for her first career goal to give Utica a 1-0 lead in front of its home crowd.
Following Kelley's tally, the Pioneers fired off five more shots however, the team couldn't get one to drop in. That's when Nicole Cassab of Hartwick had her season-defining moment. Cassab collected the ball off a Pioneers' deflection and put the ball past Connolly to even the game 59 seconds before halftime. The score remained tied at the break.
Utica wasted no time regaining the lead. Following a
Rylee Lamphere (Little Falls, NY/Dolgeville) corner kick,
Kaela Mochak (Westfield, MA/Westfield) cleaned up from just yards outside of the goal and put the Pioneers back on top 2-1 on what was her second goal of the season. From there, the Hawks outshot Utica 11-5 but the energy of the Utica defense kept the game in check and helped the team secure a spot in the semifinals.
The offense was fueled by Kelley and Mochak with one goal each while Keeman led the team with five shots followed by
Julianna Beaulieu (Southwick, MA/Chicopee Comprehensive), Lamphere, Mochak and Kaminski with three apiece. Defenders
Samantha Kogut (North Adams, MA/Drury) and
Lindsay Fleshman (Owings, MD/Northern), as well as Keeman and Lamphere, were all over Hartwick attackers throughout the night and caused numerous changes in field position. In goal, Connolly recorded seven saves with one goal allowed.
Utica (7-7-4, 4-2-3 Empire 8) will travel to face top-seeded St. John Fisher University in the Empire 8 Semifinals at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
