PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – No. 6 University of Rochester women's soccer scored early and held on late to defeat the 24th-ranked Misericordia University Cougars, 2-1, in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship on Sunday evening at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
 
With the win, the Yellowjackets' 14th of the year, Rochester advances to the Sectional Round on the 2023 NCAA Tournament, where they'll face No. 16 NYU at a site to be determined.
 
Just like their first-round matchup against Penn St. Behrend, Rochester got off to a quick start against the Cougars, scoring the game's opening goal in just over a minute. The 'Jackets earned a second-minute corner kick, taken by Mia McGinty, which Megan Pung headed toward the goal. And while Lauren Mondor made the save, Claire Grove knocked in the rebound, giving Rochester a 1-0 lead just 1:13 in.
 
Misericordia got its offense going with a pair of corner kicks in the fourth minute, but Rochester quickly got back on the offensive, earning another corner kick 6:28 into the match following a nice run from Grace Regenstreif, that resulted in a headed shot just high from Lauren Blanch.
 
In the 12th minute, Emma Sweitzer fired in a dangerous shot from the left wing that sailed high, while the Cougars forced the first of seven saves from Grace Kuropatkin with Olivia Maniskas' shot on goal in the 13th minute.
 
The Yellowjackets would then earn a free kick in the 15th minute, and after Pung's cross bounced around in the box, Grover rolled in a shot on goal, but Mondor was there for the save.
 
Just over five minutes later, Maegan Allspach nearly curled in the equalizer, with her left-footed shot from about 21 yards out forcing a diving save from Kuropatkin. The save set up a Cougars' corner, but again Kuropatkin deflected away Collen Kinsella's chance to keep Misericordia off the scoreboard.
 
Rochester would take the ball the other way, and just past the 22-minute mark, double their lead. Sydney Holmes' centering pass found Maya Bravo in the box, who passed it out to Regenstreif, who rocketed a shot towards the lower left corner of the goal, extending UR's lead to 2-0.
 
And after the first 25 minutes featured 12 shots and five corners, the final 20 minutes of the first half featured just three and two, with Haleigh Wintersteen's attempt at the 27:51 mark going wide, while shots from Katharina Probst and Jordyn Kowalkowski just missing the mark as well.
 
Probst's right-footed shot from just outside the box sailed just high, while Kowalkowski stole the ball and had a breakaway, beating Mondor to the left post, but her shot curled just wide of the mark, and the 'Jackets lead remained at just 2-0 heading into the locker room.
 
Both teams again came out firing to start the second half, with Misericordia and Rochester combining for 27 total shots, 13 of which were on goal.
 
Pung fired a free kick from just above the box a bit high, while Grover saw her 49th-minute attempt go just wide.
 
In the 53rd minute, Sweitzer again nearly got the Cougars on the board, with a left-footed, slicing shot that was headed away by Emma Cohen, resulting in UR's second team save in as many games.
 
Kuropatkin would be called upon to make another save in the 60th minute, as Misericordia earned a dangerous free kick on the left wing just outside the box. Julia Beck curled a shot around UR's wall and towards the top of the net, but Kuropatkin got just enough to make the save and give the Cougars another corner.
 
The 'Jackets would clear it, and earn a corner of their own just a few minutes later before Misericordia broke through to cut Rochester's lead in half.
 
Sweitzer slipped past her defender in the 68th minute, making her way down the left wing towards goal before finding Allspach with her centering cross, who tapped in the score to make it a 2-1 Rochester lead.
 
And with the Cougars within a goal as the clock ticked under 20, Misericordia pushed forward on the attack, looking for an equalizer.
 
Sweitzer forced yet another save by Kuropatkin in the 70th minute, while Olivia Maniskas' shot went wide at the 80:44 mark. The Cougars earned an 82nd-minute corner but couldn't find a shot, and with the clock ticking toward zero, UR still led 2-1.
 
In the final minute, the Cougars would have one last attempt, with a cross in front finding Maniskas' header, but Kuropatkin made the save, and while the junior keeper couldn't fully corral the shot, the Yellowjacket defense knocked the ball away to help seal the victory.
 
No. 6 Rochester moves to 14-0-5 with the win, while No. 24 Misericordia falls to 16-4-1 with the loss.
 
Grover led UR with four shots, including a pair on goal, while Pung added two and one on goal. Grover and Regenstreif each tallied goals for Rochester, with Grover tallying her 18th score of the year to tie the single-season program record.
 
Bravo and Pung each notched assists for UR, while Kuropatkin made seven saves in 90 minutes in goal.
 
Rochester next advances to the Sectional Round, where they'll face No. 16 NYU at a time, date and location to be determined, with the winner advancing to the Sectional Final vs. either Tufts or Bowdoin.