POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Union College posted a goal in each half, holding off Vassar College late in the game for a 2-1 Liberty League women's soccer victory at Gordon Field on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Dutchwomen move to 4-5-1 overall and 2-1-0 in league play, while the Brewers slip to 5-3-1, shouldering their first conference loss to move to 1-1-1.
Union opened the game's scoring early, taking advantage in the 9th minute as senior midfielder Emma Schneider scored. First year forward Sam Friedman got the play going, firing the ball in on goal from the near side which was saved by a diving Brewers rookie keeper
Julia Reigrut. Unable to corral the ball, it caromed out to the left side as Schneider barreled in and fired it into the left side of the open goal.
The Brewers had a number of opportunities in the opening stanza to even things, including a header off the corner by senior forward
Skylar Herrera-Ross that was saved by Union junior Abby Mitty. Vassar rookie forward
Madison Bouggess had another great chance for the home team in the 24th minute, but her shot was once again stopped by Mitty.
Second half action saw the Brewers open with a number of attempts, including two more from Bouggess that went wide and was scooped up by Mitty. Despite the momentum for VC on the Union end, they were unable to hold off the Dutchwomen as Schneider crossed through the midfield and booted the ball up into the open area 10-yards out of the box. Battling with a pair of Vassar defenders, senior forward Lexi Cornacchia won the race, firing the ball into the left corner of the net for the 2-0 lead in the 68th minute.
Vassar finally got onto the board in the 89th minute as a perfectly placed corner kick by junior
Jessica Young from the near side, careened toward the top of the box. Senior defender
Sara Rubinelli was there and blasted the ball into the top right corner.
Despite that momentum, the Brewers were unable to net the equalizer against the Dutchwomen. Vassar finished with a 15-7 advantage in shots, as well as a 6-3 margin in their favor on the corner attempts.
In goal, Union's Mitty finished with five saves for the victory, while Reigrut shouldered the loss with one save made.
The Brewers are back in action on Wednesday when they host New Paltz in a make-up game that was supposed to occur at the start of the 2021 season. Vassar and the Hawks will square off at 3pm on Gordon Field. Union is in action on Tuesday, traveling to Utica for a 4pm contest.
