POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Rochester withstood a furious Vassar College rally in the fourth quarter to post a 17-15 victory over the Brewers in a Liberty League match on Saturday afternoon. The win evens Rochester's Liberty League record at 2-2 and puts the Yellowjackets at 4-3 overall. Vassar is 1-1 in the Liberty League, 3-4 overall.
Gracie Giannettino scored six goals and added one assist for Rochester.
Mia Perkell had four goals and one assist.
Grace Crochiere (3-2-5),
Brooke Fiannaca (2-1-3), and
Anne Traczyk (2-0-2) were Rochester's other goalscorers.
Lucy Haggerty had three assists and
Sophia Stafford had one.
Vassar's leader was Maddy Kretten (5-0-5). Annie Uyeki matched her in points (2-3-5). The others were Ashley Roberts (2-1-3), Reilly Mulcahy (2-1-3), Kali Ringler (2-0-2), Kateri Sanseviro (1-1-2), and Madison Bouggess (1-0-1).
In goal,
Ava Saffren made eight saves in 60 minutes for Rochester and allowed 15 goals. For Vassar, Lauren Johns played 37:15 with three saves and 13 GA. Bree MacMullen played 7:45 (one GA, no saves) and Jackie Molloy played 15:00 (one save, three GA).
Saffren had eight saves in the win.
Vassar took a 4-2 lead on a Kretten goal with 4:49 left in the first quarter. Crochiere scored with 39 seconds left in the period. That started a 6-0 Rochester run (two by Crochiere, one each from Fiannaca, Giannettino, Traczyk, and Perkell) to take an 8-4 lead with 6:01 left in the half. It was 9-6 Rochester at the break.
Perkell scored twice in the third period. Giannettino, Crochiere, and Traczyk had one goal each. Kretten had the two Vassar goals. Her strike with 46 seconds left in the third drew the Brewers within 13-9. Perkell's second of the period got Rochester up to five goals (14-9) as the period ended.
Fiannacca and Giannettino scored in the first seven minutes of the fourth period before the hosts stormed back. Four players scored, pulling the home team within 16-13 with 2:32 left. Giannettino turned home a Perkell pass for a 17-13 lead with 1:46 to go. Vassar closed out the game with two goals in the last 26 seconds.
The shots were close – Vassar 30 (23 on goal), Rochester 26 (21 on goal). Rochester had eight saves, two in the last period, four in the first. Vassar had two. Turnovers (27-27) and ground balls (24-24) were even, as were draw controls. Vassar had 12 free position shots to six for UR.
Kate Lindsey won five draws for Rochester. Crochiere won six draw controls. Perkell won five, and Haggerty won four. Lindsey was the ground ball leader with eight.
