Oct. 15, 2011

Box Score

BOSTON, MASS. - Sophomore forward Amanda Roke (Cheshire, Conn.) scored two goals and sophomore goalkeeper Christina Dineson (Milford, Conn.) made a diving save with 10 seconds remaining to lift the Albertus Magnus women's soccer team past Emmanuel College, 2-1, on a windy Saturday afternoon at Roberto Clemente Field in Boston, Mass. With the victory, the Falcons improve to 10-4 overall and 8-4 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference while the loss drops the Saints to 8-7-1 and 4-6-1 in GNAC play.

After 27 minutes of scoreless action, Roke got the scoring started with her fifth goal of the season when she was on the receiving end of a square-ball pass from just outside the 18-yard box from sophomore midfielder Sam Corso (Derby, Conn.). Corso found Roke sitting inside the box just in front the PK spot before the sophomore finished with a hard strike to the right-side netting of the goal to give Albertus the 1-0 lead which would be the score heading into the halftime intermission.

The Falcons continued to keep the pressure on the Saints to start the second half and would eventually tack on a second goal to make it a 2-0 game in favor of the visitors. With possession deep within the Emmanuel box, an Albertus striker was fouled, earning the Falcons a penalty kick at the 55:40 mark. Roke calmly stepped up and drilled the PK past Emmanuel junior keeper Jessica D'Ottavio (Pawling, N.Y.) for the two-goal cushion.

The Saints would battle back to cut the Falcons lead to one when senior midfielder Logan Carr (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) took a corner kick a 28:12 remaining in the half. The kick was headed right towards the back post when it got caught up in the wind, forcing Dineson to make a save attempt but the ball eluded the sophomore keeper and found its way into the back of the net to make it a 2-1 contest.

Emmanuel would have two good looks in the final five minutes to tie the match with the first coming with 4:50 left to play when the Saints were on the attack deep in the Falcons zone. Carr was able to feed sophomore forward Darcey Sullivan (Dalton, Mass.) with a pass that left the striker right in front of the goal with time to only redirect the ball. The shot beat Denison to her near side but was pushed just outside the right goal post.

The Saints best chance to even the score developed from the midfield with just 19 seconds left in the contest. Following an Albertus foul, Carr quickly stepped up to strike a direct kick from 40 yards out the made its way through the Falcons back line to the foot of sophomore midfielder Donandrea Myette (Portsmith, R.I.). With 10 seconds left in the game, Myette fired a shot away towards the back post that looked destined for the back of the net but a diving save by Dineson to her far left would preserve the 2-1 win for the visiting Falcons.

Emmanuel will return to action on Thursday, October 20 when they host Fitchburg State University at 7:00 PM at Clemente Field. The match will be the Saints senior day game when they honor Carr and senior forward Melanie Hoffman (Topsham, Maine.).