Junior Rachel Wesley, fighting for possession with Skidmore’s Lauren Alexander, was named tournament MVP after racking up a goal and an assist to help UR win the team title. Hannah Bazarian, Photo Editor
The UR women’s soccer team rose to glory this past weekend in the Flower City Tournament, held at Fauver Stadium. With only a handful of starters from last year and a new head coach, the Yellowjackets set out to prove that they are determined to have a great season.
In the first game of the tournament on Friday, Sept. 2, the women made an early but clear statement by dominating Medaille College. The home team gained the lead within the first 50 seconds, as senior Elizabeth Martens scored. The ‘Jackets never looked back, as four minutes later, sophomore Grace Van der Ven crossed the ball to senior Ellen Coleman. Coleman, a former UAA Player of the Year and two-time All-American, quickly put the ball in the net.
The Rochester offense went on to score five more goals during the game. Other scorers included sophomore Jessica Opatich, junior Heather Alico, and freshman Morgan O’Brien. Not only was UR’s offense on fire, but the defense was as sturdy as a brick wall. The Mavericks struggled offensively throughout the game, and couldn’t manage even one shot on goal.
Ultimately, UR took the easy 7-0 win to advance to the championship game.
During Saturday’s final, UR faced Skidmore College, a much tougher opponent. Skidmore was fresh off a win over SUNY Geneseo. The Thoroughbreds charged early and applied intense offensive pressure, but UR managed to prevent any goals from being scored.
The opposing defense wasn’t so lucky. Six minutes into the game, Coleman headed the ball into the net after a pass from Martens.
The Thoroughbreds played solid defense for the rest of the half, keeping Rochester at a one-point lead.
During the fifth minute of the second half, Skidmore’s defense briefly broke down, and junior Rachel Wesley seized the opportunity. From 25 yards out, Wesley shot the ball, and it flew over the fingertips of Skidmore’s goalkeeper, propelling UR to a 2-0 lead.
The home team’s goalkeepers, junior Bridget Lang and sophomore Allison Bernstein, had stellar games. Lang had four saves, while Bernstein added two more. Skidmore’s valiant effort included 13 shots (six on goal), but they failed to put the ball into the net. Rochester had nine shots (four on goal). As with the Medaille game, UR proved victorious, with a final score of 2-0.
The Yellowjackets hope to crack into the NCAA tournament again this year and continue competition at the SUNY Fredonia Clarion Classic next weekend.
Bates is a member of
the class of 2014.
