The SUNY Oneonta women's soccer team battled for 110 minutes and came away with a 2-2 draw with Rensselaer today in the 2015 season opener for both squads.  Senior Avery Serfis (West Hurley/Onteora) scored both goals for the Red Dragons in the match.
 
The three most dangerous opportunities in the first fifteen minutes came from Oneonta senior Kayla Ceschini (Miller Place/Miller Place), who could have easily had a hat-trick.  Her first opportunity came as she broke loose on the right wing and closed in on the Rensselaer keeper.  Ceschini's shot sailed high off the fingertips of Tori Riopelle and skimmed the crossbar for a corner kick.  Ceschini's final two opportunities looked similar to the first with the two shots going just wide of the left post both times.
 
The Red Dragons finally broke through in the 26^th minute when senior Kayla Distin (Fulton/G. Ray Bodley) sent a crossing pass into the box from the right flank that Serfis was able to volley just passed the outstretched arm of Riopelle inside the left post.
 
Rensselaer made a few substitutions and began to pressure the Oneonta defense a bit.  They earned the equalizer when they capitalized on a loose ball in the box in the 33^rd minute.  The loose ball trickled off an Oneonta defender and behind the Oneonta keeper where Hannah Bordogna was there to finish the ball into the goal.
 
The Engineers took a 2-1 lead just over three minutes later on a goal by Catie Mann, who sent a shot along the ground from inside the box that just went inside the right post.
 
Rensselaer took its one-goal lead into halftime.
 
The action in the beginning of the second half was pretty much in the midfield.  Oneonta tied the game in the 60^th minute on its first shot of the second half.  Serfis put a shot on frame from about 25 yards out that hit the crossbar.  On the rebound, the ball hit the back of the Rensselaer keeper and bounced in the goal.
 
The two teams exchanged a couple of shots each over the last 30 minutes, but none found the back of the goal, which meant overtime.
 
Oneonta registered a pair of shots in the first overtime while the Engineers had two shots in the second overtime.  Rensselaer did have a corner kick in the 30 seconds, but couldn't convert.
 
Senior Kelley Murphy (Albany/Colonie Central) registered seven saves in goal for Oneonta while Riopelle finished with four saves.
 
Oneonta's next game is this Saturday against Delaware Valley in the Mayor's Cup.  Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00pm at Hartwick College's Elmore Field.