SKIDMORE TOPS SAINTS, 2-0

Oct. 6: The St. Lawrence women’s soccer team fell to Skidmore Saturday afternoon on a slippery MacAllaster Field in Canton, NY. The Thoroughbreds were able to slip two shots past Saints keeper Hayleigh Hochberg, giving them a 2-0 win over the Saints in Liberty League conference action.

The Saints came out strong in the first part of the game and went shot-for-shot with Skidmore until the Thoroughbreds’ first goal of the game in the 26 th minute, when Anna Cerio got the ball just past midfield from teammate Rachael Sushner and broke away from the pack and barreled downfield towards the goal. Cerio beat her defender and shot the ball past Hochberg and into the back right corner of the net. Cerio’s second goal of the season gave Skidmore a 1-0 lead. The remainder of the first half belonged to the Thoroughbreds as they out-shot the Saints 4-1 in the last 14 minutes of the period.

Skidmore’s adrenaline from their first goal helped them tremendously in the second half, as they were able to keep the Saints from making any shooting attempts until the 81 st minute of the game. Cerio had the ball in the 59 th minute and crossed it to Sushner at the far post, and while Hochberg came out and tried to intercept the cross, Sushner was able to net the goal, bringing the score to 2-0 in favor of Skidmore. It was Sushner’s fifth goal of the season.

The Saints were not going to go down quietly and poured on the pressure in the last ten minutes of the game and prevented the Thoroughbreds from getting anywhere near their net, while St. Lawrence maintained possession and kept the ball near Skidmore keeper Liza Mills and took the last three shots of the game, including a shot at the near post from sophomore forward Lauren Annaldo, but Mills was there and ready to make the save for Skidmore to close out the game.

Each team had three corner kick opportunities, but neither team was able to convert any of them into a goal.

Junior midfielder and captain Lauren Sischo, along with first-year forward Lizzie Bogosian and Annaldo, each had two shots in the game, including a shot-on-goal for each. Hochberg had five saves between the posts for the Saints, while Mills made three for Skidmore, who are now 6-4-2 overall and 2-2-0 in the Liberty League.

St. Lawrence (7-5-0 overall, 2-3-0 in the Liberty League) will travel to Ithaca, NY next Saturday to battle against Ithaca College in non-conference action. The game is set to begin at 2:00pm.

SAINTS FALL TO UNION, 4-1

Oct. 5: Despite an early lead in the first half, the St. Lawrence women’s soccer team fell to nationally-ranked Union College Friday afternoon in Liberty League action at Sandy MacAllaster Field. The Dutchwomen, who are ranked #24 in the NSCAA/adidas national rankings, found themselves behind for only six minutes and battled back to defeat the Saints, 4-1.

Sophomore forward Megan Howard scored the lone goal for the Saints after first-year forward Lizzie Bogosian crossed the ball from the far post to just outside the six in front of the goal. The ball deflected off a number of players as the Saints fought for an early lead. Saints first-year midfielder Katie McHugh made a quick pass and got the ball to the foot of Howard, who then shot the ball into the back of the net to give the Saints an early 1-0 lead at 5:16 in the first half.

The Dutchwomen evened the score six minutes later in the twelfth minute of play, when Union freshman Katie McLean got a cross pass from teammate Caitlin Cuozzo and snuck the ball past Saints keeper Hayleigh Hochberg to tie the score 1-1.

McLean continued to be a dominant force for Union as she continued to battle past the Saints defense and attack scoring the next two goals for the Dutchwomen, earning her first hat trick of her collegiate career. The Newton, MA native scored her second goal in the 33 rd minute, after a scramble around the near post, where she was able to tap the ball just past the goal line. Her third goal came less than a minute later, as Dutchwoman Allison Cuozzo broke away past her defender and got McLean the ball, who then shot it into the net, giving Union a 3-1 decisive lead to end the first half.

McLean’s three goals brings her to 11 thus far in the season. It was also her first hat trick of her collegiate career.

Union was able to contain the Saints offense to only five shots in the first half, which included a 26-minute period where the Dutchwomen were in complete control of the ball, as they were able to prevent the Saints from making any shots.

Union’s fourth goal of the game came in the 69 th minute, when Union’s Caitlin O’Donnell saw teammate Rachel Schneidman wide open near the back post and passed the ball to her. Schneidman then powered the ball in between the posts, bringing the score to 4-1.

Union keeper Melissa McDonald had six saves for the Dutchwomen, while Hochberg tallied eight saves for St. Lawrence.

The Saints, now 7-4-0 overall and 2-2-0 in Liberty League play, will go against Skidmore Saturday afternoon on Sandy MacAllaster Field in another conference game. The match is set to start at 2:00pm.