PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – The University of Rochester women's soccer team and visiting Misericordia University battled to a 1-1 draw on Saturday afternoon at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
URochester gets a result with the draw, but sees the tie become the first blemish on the season's record, with the Yellowjackets moving to 7-0-1. Misericordia gets its third tie of the 2026 season, moving to 3-2-3 overall.
After neither team could generate any solid scoring chance in the opening minutes, Rochester's
Sydney Holmes had the first opportunity in the 15th minute. After a great through ball by
Ava Schmidt, fired a 19-yard rocket that sailed just wide and high of the Cougar goal.
At the 20-minute mark, Holmes set up teammate
Delia McMullen inside the box, but her left-footed chance was saved by Misericordia keeper Marisa Patrissi.
A minute later, Holmes got the scoring started with her third goal of the season. After a foul, UR took a quick free kick up the sideline to
Gabi Chioccola. Chioccola dumped a pass up to
Natalie Santangelo who curled in a perfect service to Holmes who cracked a 9-yard header just under the crossbar for the goal.
The Yellowjackets kept applying the pressure offensively in the next few minutes, but shots from
Claudia Ferreira and Santangelo were saved by Patrissi.
Rochester kept the Cougars at bay until late in the half, when they fired two back-to-back shots off the posts before Kaleigh Horos found the back of the net in the 41st minute. Horos' score came from the right wing just inside the box, with her left-footed attempt beating UR keeper
Eleni McGuire to her left.
In the second half, a bad 'Jacket pass up the field led to a Misericordia chance from Alyssa Steenback, with the Cougar forward curling a shot from the edge of the box towards the left post.
Thankfully for Rochester,
Remi Cherkas was in solid position, as McGuire was recovering, and cleared the ball away for a team save.
The Yellowjackets dominated the next 15 minutes, registering seven shots and two corners, but could not break through. Both Santangelo and McMullen had shot attempts from out top end on frame, but Patrissi came up with saves on both.
In the 76th minute, Misericordia's Larissa Evans took a curving shot towards the right post, but McGuire was there to make a diving save, keeping the game knotted at 1-1. Less than a minute later, a long free kick saw Horos take a shot on goal, but McGuire added another save to her tally.
Caelan Gallagher made it three straight scoring chances for the Cougars in the next minute, but her 16-yard blast was saved once again by McGuire, this time diving to her right.
URochester's
Maya Bravo had a good look to regain the lead with five minutes left on the clock, but a turn-around shot from the center of the box cracked off the crossbar. A rebound attempt by Holmes followed, but her shot sailed wide.
Santangelo had another shot from 20 yards after 45 more seconds had elapsed, but Patrissi came up with another stop, with the game eventually ending in the 1-1 draw.
Overall in the contest, URochester led 24-16 in shots, while the Cougars had the advantage in shots on goal, nine to eight. Misericordia also held a slim lead in corners, taking five to UR's four.
Both McGuire and Patrissi finished with seven saves in between the pipes.
Up next, Rochester battles local rival RIT in a Wednesday evening matchup at 5 pm at Fauver Stadium.
