SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Despite holding a 23-9 edge in shots, the Vassar College women's soccer team was unable to find the back of the net on Saturday. As a result, the 24
th-ranked Brewers (5-3-1, 1-1-0 Liberty) saw their five-game unbeaten streak come to an end, as Union (4-4-1, 1-1-0 Liberty) made a first-half goal hold up in a 1-0 victory at College Park Field.
The Dutchwomen got on the board in the 22
nd minute when Paige Sherling scored off a feed from Annie Gee. Union nearly made it 2-0 in the 33
rd minute, but Linsey Giles' attempt hit the crossbar. The Brewers then had their chance to tie it in the waning seconds of the period.
Sara Seper's (New Hyde Park, NY) shot was turned away by goalkeeper Kelsey Hartsoe, though, and the Dutchwomen took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break.
In the second half, Vassar nearly found an equalizer on numerous occasions.
Rebecca Andrews (Los Altos, CA) had a shot turned away by the Union defense on the goal line in the 64
th minute, and
Dahlia Chroscinski (Hummelstown, PA) banged one off the crossbar four minutes later. Seper's attempt in the waning seconds was saved by Hartsoe, as the Brewers were shut out for the first time this season.
Seper and
Emma Tanner (Florence, MA), who had her personal goal-scoring streak snapped at six games, each fired three shots on target.
Skylar Herrera-Ross (Alameda, CA) and
Savannah Cutler (Deer Park, TX) were both credited with a pair of shots on goal.
Fiona Walsh (Hackettstown, NJ) (4-3-1), meanwhile, made four saves.
Sherling's tally was her third of the year, while Gee's assist was her first. Hartsoe (4-4-1) stopped 11 Vassar shots en route to her second clean sheet of the season. The victory was also the 300
th career win for Union Head Coach Brian Speck, making him the 31
st women's soccer coach in Division III history to reach that milestone.
After playing six of their first nine away from Gordon Field, the Brewers will begin a four-game homestand on Tuesday with a 4 p.m. matchup against Bard (4-4-1, 0-2-0 Liberty).
