Colgate Moves to 3-1 in Conference Play
By Kat Castner
(West Point, NY – Oct. 12, 2013) WEST POINT, N.Y. – Colgate women’s soccer advanced to 3-1 in league play after a 2-1 victory over West Point in a make-up game on Wednesday night Oct. 9. Junior Chelsea Roche netted the game-winner with less than 10 minutes remaining to secure the win.
“As expected, this was a battle from start to finish,” Colgate head coach Kathy Brawn said. “The great part was that we found a way to win under challenging circumstances. We will work on timing our runs and passes relative to the preferences of the officials. Two well executed plays led to goals by Kelsey Hough and Chelsea Roche. Brenna Mason was outstanding in goal tonight.”
Colgate (7-4, 3-1 PL) received goals by Kelsey Hough and Roche throughout the contest. Junior captain Caroline Brawner registered an assist on both of the Raider goals with Taryn Tomczyk aiding on Colgate’s first marker. Freshman Brenna Mason notched four saves in the match, earning her fourth win of the season.
Army (5-6-2, 1-2-1 PL) notched its lone goal in the 56th minute when Candace Stewart tipped it in off a scrum in front of the net. Jordan Cassalia was awarded the loss after making one save throughout the contest.
In the first minute of play the Raiders tallied a good chance on goal when Emily Manoogian sent a through ball into Sarah Coy, who was making a run behind the Black Knight’s back four. Before Coy was able to get a shot off, Army recovered and cleared the ball away from danger.
Five minutes later, Roche flicked the ball over the Army defense where Manoogian found herself alone with the ball. Manoogian played it over to Coy on the right side of the field, who saw an opening and fired a shot low to the opposite corner of the goal. The ball sailed just wide of the net but again gave the Raiders a great scoring chance on net.
With 25 minutes remaining in the half, Joey Molacek earned an opportunity on goal for the Black Knights. Army found Molacek on the left wing, but Jenna Panepinto came sliding in to block her shot out of bounds, saving a potential goal.
Colgate quickly responded with another chance on net. Hough switched the field by crossing the ball deep to Brawner, who was wide open on the left side. Brawner cut the ball back into the box, and tried her luck on goal. Army blocked the shot and kicked the ball out, but it found the foot of Tomczyk, who blasted a shot through traffic on goal. Cassalia came up with a stellar play to make a goal saving stop.
With six minutes remaining before halftime, Colgate took the 1-0 advantage off Hough’s first of the season. The play started following a Colgate corner kick when Brawner played it short to Tomczyk, who was with her in the corner. The sophomore sent the ball over to Hough, where the senior captain hit a laser to the upper right hand corner of the net from 20 yards out.
Army came out in the second 45 minutes with high pressure. The Raiders held them scoreless until the 56th minute when Stewart scored from a scramble in front of the net, knotting the game at 1-all.
The Black Knights earned another chance with 33 minutes remaining in the game. On the right side of the box, Kimberly An saw an opening and riffled one on goal but rookie Mason came up with a brilliant save pushing the ball over the goal for an Army corner kick.
Mason came up big again for the Raiders when she pushed the ball over the crossbar on a Kayla Swasey shot.
Colgate tallied the go-ahead, and eventual game-winner in the 81st minute of play. The Raiders earned a free kick on the right side of the field. Manoogian quickly played it to Brawner behind the Black Knights’ defense. Brawner then sent a simple cross into the box from the endline, finding the foot of Roche for the tap in.
The Raiders held the possession for the remaining minutes, securing the win.