'gate Women Win Soccer Opener

RFH 2010, Colgate Sports

Mon, Aug 22, 2011

The Colgate women's soccer team had an exciting start to the season on Sunday afternoon, when it defeated Vermont 5-1 in its season opener on Van Doren Field.

The Raiders had five different players score their first goal of the season, with junior Jillian Kinter (heading the ball in photo) leading the pack with four points from one goal and two assists in the game. Four of the team's goals were in the second half.

"As a coach, you couldn't ask for a better start to the season," stated head coach Kathy Brawn. "These women came into preseason well prepared so it's nice to see them rewarded for their efforts. Vermont is a talented team and we had to work for every advantage we got. There is work to be done but this team meets every challenge head on."

Colgate returns to action on Thursday, when it travels to Storrs, CT for a matchup against Big East powerhouse, Connecticut, at 7 p.m.

Vermont came out to a strong start in the first half, holding majority of the ball possession as both teams settled into their first game of their respective seasons. As the half continued, the Catamounts began to generate their offense, creating some scoring opportunities off a series of free kicks but could not find success. Feeling the pressure, the Raiders struck back and at the 12:26 mark were able to find the net on their first attempt on goal to take the 1-0 lead. Freshman Emily Manoogian was able to pick up a loose ball in front of the goal and blast it past Vermont's goalie to score her first collegiate goal. Classmate Jenna Raepple was credited with the assist. After its first goal, Colgate soon settled into a rhythm, attacking the Catamounts' net aggressively. However, despite some close attempts in the final 20 minutes of the half, the R could not find the net, ending the first half with a 1-0 lead.

In the second half, it was the Raiders that had a solid start, maintaining possession as they worked the ball around the pitch in an attempt to generate some offense. Their hard work soon paid off when senior Kerry Valdez picked up the ball in a scramble in front of the net, made a quick turn and fired it into the bottom left corner of Vermont's net to give her team the 2-0 lead at the 51:55 mark. This was also Valdez's first collegiate goal.

Colgate then hit a bit of a rough patch for the next couple minutes, struggling to get the ball out of its defensive end as the Catamounts attempted to find a goal of their own. It was not until a corner kick in the 65th minute, that the Raiders were able to turn things around and increase their lead to three goals. Senior co-captain Maddie Malone bent the ball into the box perfectly to Kinter who headed it past the keeper to score her first goal of the season. This then gave way to two more goals in the next 15 minutes to give Colgate a 5-0 lead. The first was at the 71:55 mark after Kinter beat her defender on the left sideline and crossed it into the box to junior, Elise Amioka, who then one-timed it past the keeper. Nine minutes later, senior, Christina Boni, scored her first collegiate goal when she fired a cross from Kinter into the net in a similar fashion to the previous goal, scoring the Raiders' fifth and final goal of the game.

Vermont was finally able to find a goal in the closing minutes of the game, but it was not enough to topple Colgate's four-goal lead, giving the Raiders their first win of the season, 5-1.

Junior co-captain Ashley Walsh had four saves while Alyssa Kelly had eight saves for Vermont.