Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (October 17, 2009) – With a 3-0 lead after 68 minutes, it looked as though the Vassar College women's soccer team had a win securely in hand. However, Elmira College refused to leave Gordon Field quietly, netting two late goals just over three minutes apart. The Brewers managed to hold on, picking up a 3-2 non-league win on Saturday to end a three-game losing skid.

The Brewers improve to 6-7 and will play another non-Liberty League game, hosting Mount St. Mary College on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. The Soaring Eagles drop to 4-9 and head to Bard College tomorrow for a 1:00 p.m. game.

Following a scoreless first half, the Brewers finally got on board in the 51st minute off an Elysa Greenberger corner kick. The well-placed kick landed just in front of the goal line and though Soaring Eagle goalie Megan Lowe fell on the ball, she was unable to smother it and junior Rachel Shea poked it in, scoring her fourth goal of the season.

In the 54th minute, Vassar quickly added a second goal as senior Anna Robinson crossed a ball into the box from the right side. Lowe came out to meet the ball but with Shea challenging her in front of the net she was unable to get a good clear, and sophomore Jordan Crook stepped in front of the ball, redirecting it back towards the goal. A Soaring Eagle defender got a foot on the shot but was unable to prevent the goal as Crook recorded her fifth tally of the season.

The Eagles nearly responded in the 63rd minute as speedy freshman Rachael Bromson streaked up the field, almost sprinting her way into a one-on-one look at the net, until sophomore defender Tessa Verbanic raced back to poke the ball away. However, it sailed right across the box to a wide open Kristyn O'Rourke who sent a point blank shot on goal. Freshman goalie Ali Higgins, who had already made numerous difficult saves, remained solid, coming up with the gutsy stop.

Vassar added another goal in the 68th minute as Shea sent a through ball past the back line of the Elmira defense and junior Carolyn Demougeot out-sprinted the defense to direct a shot past Lowe, giving the Brewers a three goal lead. Demougeot's seventh goal of the season appeared to solidify an easy victory for the Brewers.

However, the Soaring Eagles broke up the shut out in the 82nd minute, sparked by a Mary Cory corner kick. Freshman Natty Volger got her head on the initial offering and Higgins made a tough backpedaling save, but knocked the ball out to freshman Kelsey Kiel who volleyed it back into the net for her second goal of the season. Just over three minutes later, Elmira again found the back of the net, as freshman Tori Simeone netted her first collegiate goal lacing a shot past Higgins at the goal post.

With the intensity suddenly at a high level, the Brewers buckled down and held off Elmira for the remaining five and a half minutes.

Neither team could gain the advantage in the first half though Bromson nearly got Elmira on board on multiple occasions, while Shea and Robinson powered the Brewer offense.

Vassar out shot Elmira 23-18 and held a 7-6 advantage in corner kicks. Although she was unable to find the back of the net, Robinson had an impressive day on the front lines for the Brewers with eight shots, five on goal. Her counterpart on Elmira's side was Bromson, who recorded five shots, three on goal, and kept the Vassar defenders on their toes.

Higgins had a strong performance in goal, with an array of difficult, acrobatic saves, recording 11 on the day to improve to 3-6. In her first start, Lowe took the loss, but held her own with nine saves.