CHICAGO, IL – University of Rochester women's soccer tied the University of Chicago Maroons, 2-2, in their University Athletic Association (UAA) conference opener on Saturday at Stagg Field to remain unbeaten on the year and earn their first point in association play.
 
The Yellowjackets trailed by a goal at the half, but quickly tied things up on Sydney Holmes' score just over two minutes into the second half. Megan Pung found Claire Grover with a long ball, and the senior settled it and fired a shot on goal.
 
And while Grover's shot was blocked, the rebound caromed over to Holmes, who sent it just past the outstretched arms of Sophie Pilarski to even the score at 1-1.
 
A little over 20 minutes later though, the Maroons would retake the lead. A giveaway right in front of UR's box gave Ella Cho the ball with just the keeper to beat, and the first year took two dribbles before just beating Grace Kuropatkin to retake the lead for UChicago.
 
The score would stay that way till the final five minutes, as Chicago's defense held UR to just six total shots, just two of which were on goal.
 
But after capitalizing on Holmes' shot early in the second, Rochester would put together one more chance with the clock ticking below five minutes.
 
Sarah Martin found Grover, who pushed the ball forward and back to Martin. The senior then found Kocsis, who passed it ahead to Grover just outside the box on the far side.
 
Grover dribbled past one defender and then was taken to the ground by Chicago's keeper, Pilarski, but the senior got up and kept going, and with just one defender to beat, scored at a tough angle with a Maroon defender trying to deflect the ball away to even the score at 2-2.
 
Both teams would then have one last shot before the final buzzer sounded, with Kaitlyn Gomez' 88th-minute shot blocked by UR's defense, while Maya Bravo's 90th-minute attempt sailed high.
 
The Maroons took the lead in the first half on Raquel dos Santos' 34th-minute score, assisted by Gomez, as Santos sent it towards goal past a diving Kuropatkin and Rochester defender to give Chicago a, at the time, 1-0 lead.
 
Overall, the Maroons outshot UR, 13-6, and 6-2 on goal, but Kuropatkin made four saves in goal for the Yellowjackets, with Pilarski coming up empty on Rochester's two shots on goal.
 
With the draw, No. 13 Rochester remains unbeaten at 7-0-2 (0-0-1 UAA) on the year, while Chicago moves to 6-1-3 (0-0-1 UAA).
 
Offensively, Grover led UR with three shots and a goal, while Holmes tallied UR's other goal and Kocsis notched the assist on Grover's equalizer.
 
Rochester next visits Houghton University for their penultimate non-conference matchup of the year, facing the Highlanders on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Houghton, NY.