Box Score |
Photo GalleryPOUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 30, 2014) -- Vassar College junior midfielder
Bianca Zarrella (Leominster, NY/Leominster) scored with just over two minutes to play, helping the Brewers to a 2-1, non-conference victory over Hartwick College in action from Weinberg Field Tuesday.
The Brewers (9-1) had to do something they had done only once before this season, and that was responding to having their opposition tie the game after VC had already led. The only other time this season that the Brewers had endured that was back against Western Connecticut State, a 4-3 overtime win in which the Colonials twice erased leads.
This time, the Brewers held the ball in the zone of Hartwick (2-7) for much of the game, but the Hawk defense and freshman keeper Yanna Boggio held the Hawks in the contest. After halftime, Vassar College would give up one shot, but that was all HC needed as Claudia Stone made a long run and hammered a shot into the cage to knot the score at one with just over 17 minutes to play.
Form that point, VC pushed forward and didn't let the Hawks out, peppering Boggio with nine shots during the remainder of regulation, forcing seven saves. With just over a minute to play, Zarrella took a nice outlet pass from
Hayley Beach (Latham, NY/Shaker) and charged towards the attacking zone.
Zarrella weaved in and out of defenders, finding herself one-on-one with Boggio. Boggio went down and Zarrella snuck the ball underneath her for the game-winner. The score was Zarrella's second of the season, and second game-winner of the year, which ties for the most on the team.
The Brewers got an early lead in the contest just 2:37 into the game, thanks to a very well executed penalty corner. Zarrella inserted, and freshman
Storm Sideleau (Hopkinton, NH/Kimball Union Academy) stopped the pass. Senior
Enya Cunningham (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) flashed in with a flick on that bounced twice and into the cage for the goal.
The tally for Cunningham was her third of the season, the third-most among Vassar goal scorers in 2014. The 9-1 start to the year is the best 10-game start to a season ever for VC, and the seven-game home winning streak is also a program-best. Cunningham had a team-best eight shots Tuesday, while Beach fired seven more for Vassar.
The Brewers won the shot battle, 29-3, and also earned 17 penalty corners to just the one from Hartwick. Junior
Amreen Bhasin (Cresskill, NJ/Riverdale) made a save in the first half on a close shot, and Boggio finished with 14 stops for the Hawks.
Vassar College is off for 10 days before jumping back into Liberty League play Friday evening October 10 at 4 p.m. against William Smith College.
--VASSAR--