MARCY, N.Y. – The SUNYIT Women's Soccer Team mounted a gutsy comeback in the second half against the visiting Albany College of Pharmacy Panthers on Thursday night, falling just short by a score of 3-2. With the win the Panthers improved to 3-1-0 on the year, while the Wildcats fell to 3-3-0.

The first half for the Wildcats was all about Aubrey. The SUNYIT keeper (Aubrey Campbell – Auburn, N.Y. / Auburn) kept her team in the game with a number of acrobatic saves. She had her work cut out for her all night, as the Panthers held a 24 to 13 shot advantage over the Wildcats.

Campbell's most impressive save came midway through the first half on a full-extension dive to her right to turn away a Frances Ripepi shot. Ripepi ultimately ruled the night, however, as she put the Panthers on the board in the 15^th minute with a direct kick missile off the bottom of the crossbar.

Twenty-five minutes later, Sarah Cope gave Albany a 2-0 lead with her first goal of the night. Cope was the beneficiary of a long-assist by Panther goalie Alexandra Weston.

Campbell, who made a whopping 9 saves on the night, tried to come out and stop Cope, but the sophomore made a nifty move to dribble around the 'IT goalie for an easy score.

With a 13-4 shot advantage and a 2-0 lead heading into the half, it looked like it might be a long night for the Wildcats.

Enter Kendra Wagstaff (Candor, N.Y. / Candor Central). The 5-8 forward sparked the crowd in the second half with a goal in the 56^th minute. A great clear by SUNYIT first-year Erica Maisonet (Walkill, N.Y. / Walkill) turned into an improbable advantage for the Wildcats when Wagstaff charged past her Albany defender to recover the long kick by Maisonet and convert the goal.

With the momentum seemingly in SUNYIT's corner, the Panthers quickly answered with a Katelyn Roddy goal in the 58^th minute. Roddy converted a cross from Jen Bechard that Wildcat goalie Campbell tried unsuccessfully to intercept, resulting in the easy score for Roddy. In fairness to Campbell, who allowed three goals on the night, the Albany offensive attack created several ideal scoring opportunities, including a missed penalty kick among others. It was only a matter of time before a few of those opportunities became goals, and were it not for a few clutch saves by Campbell the Wildcats may have been out of the game in the first half.

Down 3-1 after the Roddy goal, the Wildcats refused to quit, as Kendra Wagstaff answered right back for SUNYIT in the 59^th minute. Junior Katie Driscoll (Aurora, N.Y. / Southern Cayuga) was credited with an assist on the goal.

Wagstaff was incredible for SUNYIT, scoring two goals on 3 shots on goal. The junior even had a couple great chances for a hat trick, but Panther goalie Alexandra Weston made some key stops in the second half.

The Wildcats played hard through the whistle, and closed the shot gap in the second half to just an 11-9 deficit. Ultimately the Panthers held on, however, for a 3-2 victory.

SUNYIT now enters a three-game road stretch, starting Saturday at Morrisville St. Game time is set for 1:00 pm.