PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – No. 6 University of Rochester women's soccer defeated the Penn St. Behrend Lions, 2-1, in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
The 'Jackets advance to Sunday's second-round matchup where they'll face No. 24 Misericordia, who defeated No. 25 Wesleyan (CT), 3-0, in the second game of the day, with a spot in the 'Sweet 16' on the line.
Rochester's offense got humming bright and early against the Lions, with
Sarah Martin firing the opening salvo at Riley Morningstar just under a minute into the contest. Martin found some space in the middle of Behrend's defense and curled a shot on goal, forcing the first of Morningstar's five saves.
It wouldn't take long for UR to get on the scoreboard though, as just minutes later, Claire Grove broke through off a cross from
Sydney Holmes, beating a diving Morningstar to her left to give Rochester a 1-0 lead just over five minutes in.
Penn St. Behrend picked up its first corner and shot of the night in the 21st minute, as Trinity Prestash attempted to bicycle kick towards goal, but
Grace Kuropatkin was there to corral, making her first of five saves to keep Rochester in front.
The Yellowjackets would tally three more shots in the opening period, with a pair, one from Martin at the 24:01 mark, and another from
Emma Cohen in the 36th minute, forcing saves, while off a corner kick in the 40th minute,
Megan Pung nearly made it 2-0, heading out just over goal.
Kuropatkin would add another save of a Prestash shot in the first half but with neither side able to break through after Grover's opening goal, the Lions and Yellowjackets headed into the locker room with UR in front, 1-0.
The Yellowjackets would again come out firing to start the third, with early shots from
Lauren Blanch and Grover just missing wide of the mark, before a Penn St. Behrend foul in the box set UR up with a penalty kick and a chance to double their lead.
Holmes, after picking up the assist, drew the foul in the box, while Grover again beat Morningstar with the penalty in the 49th minute, giving Rochester a 2-0 lead.
The 'Jackets would look to continue to add to their lead over the next 10 minutes, with Martin forcing yet another save, while Grover nearly finished off a hat trick, glancing a one-timed shot off the crossbar at the 52:18 mark, that Blanch almost knocked in on the rebound.
But after a pair of corner kicks in the 54th minute, the Lions finally broke through, with Maddie Haggerty connecting on a free kick from 30 yards out to halve UR's lead.
And with the Lions down just a goal, the final 30+ minutes proved to be a frenzy. Shots from Pung and
Riya Kunderan were blocked and went wide just past the 61-minute mark, while Audra Kuzma forced Kuropatkin to make another save in the 67th minute.
In the 69th minute,
Grace Regenstreif smacked a free kick off the Behrend wall, and on a corner kick less than a minute later,
Syd Coggins headed a shot wide.
Down the stretch, the Lions had a corner and a pair of shots in the final 10 minutes, including a shot by Lizzie Hoff that forced a team save. Hoff's run drew Kuropatkin out of the box, but
Emma Cohen stopped Hoff's whizzed shot, keeping Behrend from finding the equalizer in the 85th minute.
In the 86th minute, Kuzma again found some space to tap on at goal, but Kuropatkin came up with another save and the 'Jackets would hold onto their one-goal lead to earn their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2010.
#6 Rochester moves to 13-0-5 with the win, while Behrend wraps up their season at 13-5-2 with the loss.
Grover led the 'Jackets with five shots, while Martin fired all three of her shots on goal. Blanch and Pung each added a pair of shots as well, while Holmes tallied the 'Jackets lone assist of the evening.
Defensively, Kuropatkin made five saves while Cohen added another with her team save.
The Yellowjackets will look to advance out of the regional and into the 'Sweet 16' when they host No. 24 Misericordia University in an NCAA second-round matchup on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 5:00 p.m.
