A goal late in regulation and strong goalkeeping from freshman Stephanie Vega helped visiting SUNY New Paltz tie the University of Rochester, 1-1, in double overtime in the Flower City Classic at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
With matchups pre-determined (thus the 'Classic' format), this became an unofficial championship game after both teams won their openers – Rochester 4-1 over SUNY Fredonia and New Paltz 2-0 over King's (PA) College. Teams were awarded three points for a victory and one for a tie.
Rochester and New Paltz each finished with four points. The Yellowjackets earned the team championship trophy with a goal difference of plus three to New Paltz' plus two.
The Yellowjackets took a 1-0 lead at 36:59 when tournament MVP Ellen Coleman picked up a loose ball and fired a hard 15-yarder just inside the left post from left wing. Other than that, Vega kept the sheets clean. She finished with seven saves. Rochester out-shot New Paltz 20-3.
New Paltz tied the score at 86:01. Emily Buckner saved the ball along the right sideline and crossed it into the middle. Rebecca Devlin settled it, then chipped an 18-yarder into the top left hand corner of the goal.
Rochester nearly broke the deadlock with two minutes left in regulation. Vega parried a corner kick in the center of the box and Rochester's Eileen Boylan cracked a shot against the crossbar.
Vega was selected as the tournament's Most Valuable Defensive Player. The Best Offensive Player award went to Fredonia's Julie LaPolla . She scored three goals in Fredonia's 7-0 victory over King's.
Rochester is 2-0-1. New Paltz is 1-1-1. Rochester head coach Terry Gurnett remains at 399 career victories. Gurnett is the career victory leader among Division III women's soccer coaches and is third in wins for all women's soccer coaches. Rochester plays in the Fredonia Tournament next weekend, taking on Penn State-Behrend College on Friday and St. Lawrence on Saturday.
