MARCY, N.Y. – The SUNY Poly Women's Soccer Team (2-4-1, 2-1 NEAC) led Tuesday night for almost 70 minutes in their attempt to defeat the Utica College Pioneers (4-1-1) for the first time since 2001. It was not to be, however, as the visitors struck with two late goals to avoid an upset, 2-1.
The Wildcats looked excellent in the first half, engineering a number of good tries. Corrina Marconi (Rochester, N.Y. / Gates-Chili) put a left-footer directly on the keeper, and later in the half Alicia Wittman (Rome, N.Y. / Rome Free Academy) tried to deflect a Brittany Waterbury (Remsen, N.Y. / Remsen) free kick, just missing the left post.
Free kick artisan Kristina Strang (Rotterdam, N.Y. / Schalmont) also got in on the action, sending a rocket from well outside the penalty box that missed the crossbar by a foot.
The Wildcats, who were defeated by the Pioneers 5-0 last year, flat outplayed the visiting team in the first half. It was no surprise, then, when Julia Jaikin (Dolgeville, N.Y. / Dolgeville) netted the game's first goal (her first of the season) in the 33rd minute. Without much of an advantage, Jaikin's best option was simply to put a ball on the net despite being well outside of striking range. The high-arcing shot was problematic for the Pioneer goalie, short-hopping the keeper. As she fell to the ground the ball would squirt through her hands and trickle into the net, sending the big home crowd into a frenzy.
Minutes later Jaikin, evidently gaining in confidence, received a pass with her back to the goal and then spun and laced a beautiful right-footed shot towards the far side of the net. The Utica keeper Heimerle redeemed herself, however, with a tremendous diving save, stretching out full-extension to deflect the ball.
The Wildcats would go into halftime having out shot the Pioneers 9 to 6, and looked to all present as if they were poised to unseat the Pioneers for the first time since 2001, a 3-0 Wildcat victory.
Utica flipped the script in the second half. The home team clearly had designs on packing in the defense and trying to hold on for a 1-0 win, but the Pioneer attack was relentless. Utica out shot the Wildcats a whopping 16 to 4 in the final 45 minutes, finally breaking through in the 70th minute on an Alana Fitzpatrick goal.
Fitzpatrick received a pass from Sara Kubera, then let go a shot from a few yards outside the penalty box, just left of center field. The ball seemed like it would miss the goal completely, even prompting Angela Bartlett (West Winfield, N.Y. / Mount Markham) to signal "no-touch". Somehow the ball bent just inside the upper right-hand corner of the goal, a near-perfect shot.
With the momentum squarely back in their corner, the Pioneers continued to press their advantage. They would gain 5 corner kicks in the second half, the fourth of which proved to be decisive as Maddisen Melley came flying in un-checked to head home an excellent delivery from Keri Berkowitz.
All in all the Wildcats played an excellent game, succumbing to a Utica team that was simply a bit deeper at the end of the day. SUNY Poly benefited from a great game by Bartlett, who recorded 9 saves including a great jumping tip late in the second half to keep the Wildcats within one, as well as all-conference defender Erica Maisonet (Walkill, N.Y. / Walkill), who helped preserve the Wildcat lead for the first 25 minutes of the second half despite the Utica offensive onslaught.
SUNY Poly will look to build on the positives from Tuesday's game as they head into the heart of their conference schedule, beginning with a road game at SUNY Cobleskill this Saturday. Game time is set for 1:00 pm.