WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The Albertus Magnus College women's soccer team saw its three-game win streak ended on Tuesday night, as the Falcons dropped a nail-biter, 3-2, to the Blue Jays of the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) in overtime. Senior forward Katherine Raposo (Warwick, R.I.) led the Falcons with two goals scored.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: St. Joseph (Conn.) 3 | Albertus Magnus 2
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (7-5) | St. Joseph (8-2-1)
BOX SCORE
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams burst out of the gate offensively-minded to start the first half. The Blue Jays tallied three shots and two corner kicks in the first five minutes, while the Falcons' Haley Andrews (Prospect, Conn.) ripped the first shot for Albertus three minutes into the half.
In the sixth minute, the Blue Jays took the first advantage, 1-0, on a goal from Maxine Muscatello. Muscatello kicked a rocket from the middle of the box that snuck by Nicole Pracon (Derby, Conn.) for the score.
The Falcons picked up some momentum at the 20-minute mark when Andrews and Raposo ripped back-to-back shots that Blue Jays' keeper Vicotria Schaffner denied. The teams continued battling back-and-forth for the ball for the next 10 minutes before Saint Joseph's Emily Remicio broke away from the press of defenders and launched a shot through the box that found the back of the net to give the Blue Jays the 2-0 lead with just over 13 minutes left to play in the half.
Albertus attempted to retaliate, ripping two more shots over the remainder of the half, but neither found the back of the net, and the teams went into the halftime break with the Blue Jays holding a 2-0 advantage.
The Falcons began to rally in the 64th minute when Raposo combined with Andrews to cut the deficit to 2-1. Andrews hit Raposo with a pass just inside the box, where she beat a pair of defenders before finding space just inside the pipe for the score.
Raposo struck again 11 minutes later to knot the score at 2-all with 15 minutes left on the clock. The senior dribbled the ball upfield into the box, where she again juked a defender before finding pay dirt to the goalie's right.
With the teams down to the final 10 minutes of regulation and deadlocked at 2-all, the Falcons fired off a trio of shots but could not push across the winning score, sending the teams into overtime.
Unfortunately for the Falcons, the Blue Jays took the win five minutes into OT with a goal by Riley Jackson. After stealing the ball in her offensive zone, Marisa Brough sent a quick pass to Jackson, who fired a shot into the left side of the cage.
Pracon tallied four saves in her first career start between the pipes for the Falcons. She made three saves in the second half to help keep the Blue Jays scoreless in the stanza.
BETWEEN THE PIPES
Albertus: Nicole Pracon (0-1): 7 Shots on Goal | 3 Goals-Against | 4 Saves
USJ: Victoria Schaffner (7-2-1): 6 Shots on Goal | 2 Goals-Against | 4 Saves
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- The Blue Jays owned a slim 18-16 advantage in shots.
- Both teams tallied four saves.
- The Blue Jays held the edge in corner kicks, 4-1.
- Andrews finished with a match-high tying six shots.
- All three of Raposo's shots were on goal.
NOTEWORTHY
- Pracon made her first career start in goal this evening.
- Raposo tallied her fifth career multi-goal match.
- Raposo leads the Falcons this season with 14 points on five goals and four assists.
UP NEXT
The women's soccer team will return to the pitch on Saturday, Oct. 16, for a GNAC showdown against Dean College at 1 p.m. The afternoon matchup will be a part of Albertus' Homecoming Weekend.
