POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – A flurry of first half goals propelled the Vassar College women's soccer team to a 5-0 non-league victory over Mount Saint Mary College on Tuesday at Gordon Field. Senior Anna Robinson and junior Rachel Shea tallied two goals apiece in the win.
The Brewers improve to 7-7, and will take their 1-4 Liberty League record into the final league doubleheader of the season, hosting St. Lawrence University on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and Clarkson University on Sunday at 1:00 for their final home game of the year. The Blue Knights fall to 7-6-1 and will head to Purchase College on Thursday for a 4:00 p.m. game.
The Brewers jumped out to a quick lead, with three goals in the opening 20 minutes of the first half. Vassar got on the board just 1:39 into the game, as junior Lauren Bell sent a cross into the box from the left side of the goal. Fellow junior Allison McManis ran onto the ball, receiving it directly in front of the goal and sent a shot into the upper left netting for her sixth goal of the season.
Vassar struck again in the 17th minute as junior Carolyn Demougeot raced down the left sideline, beating the only defender between her and Blue Knight goalie
Megan Cotta. Cotta made a diving block, but the rebound bounced directly to Shea who easily one-timed it over Cotta for her fifth goal of the season.
Just over two minutes later, Robinson outran a pack of Blue Knight defenders and beat Cotta as she charged out of the goal, sending a shot that bounced off the left post into the back of the net, Robinson's fourth goal of the year. The Brewers recorded 12 first half shots.
The senior forward added her second tally of the game with 5:10 to play in the half. Robinson received a cross from sophomore Jordan Crook and used some nifty footwork to maneuver around multiple Mount St. Mary defenders in the box, angling a close range shot past Cotta into the right hand side of the net to give the Brewers a 4-0 lead heading into halftime. The Brewers recorded 12 first half shots.
The second half saw markedly less offense as Vassar added just one goal while recording six shots, but the Brewers preserved the shutout, dominating possession and using crisp passes to control the ball. The Brewers added their final goal of the game in the 53rd minute as Shea converted a short cross from Bell, one timing the pass into the back of the net.
The Brewers had 18 shots, 13 of those on goal, while the Blue Knights had seven shots, four on goal. Vassar held an 8-0 advantage in corner kicks. Freshman goalies Ali Higgins and Lexi Hutton each played one half in goal, with two saves apiece. Higgins earned the win, improving to 4-6. Cotta made five saves in net, while freshman
Casey Roland saw time in the second half, recording three saves.