EDWARDSVILLE – The SUNY Oneonta women's soccer team completed its regular season last night tying Wilkes University 1-1 after 110 minutes of play. The Red Dragons will now use the next three days to get ready for its opening game of the 2018 SUNYAC Tournament this Saturday at Plattsburgh.
After the two squads battled even through the first 45 minutes, senior
Seaver Lipshie (Port Jefferson Station/Comsewogue) nearly broke the deadlock but was denied by Wilkes' (8-5-2) keeper with a diving save.
The Colonels took the lead in the 52nd minute when Karyna Vargas lobbed a pass up the middle to a sprinting Nicolette Towlen who beat the defense and put a shot into the upper right half of the goal past
Jolene Krom (Sidney/Sidney) for a 1-0 lead.
Oneonta (8-8-1) tied the score in the 66th minute on a corner kick served up by Lipshie in front of the goal where a charging
Grace Syron (East Marion/Greenport) knocked it home into an open goal. For rookie Syron, it was her first collegiate goal.
Wilkes' Catherine Gregoire had a header blocked on the goal line by a Red Dragon defender to keep the score tied in the 72nd minute.
Although Wilkes had six shots during the two overtime periods, none of them were on frame. The Colonels led in shots for the game 23-9, but only held a 7-6 lead in shots on goal. Wilkes also held an 8-5 advantage in corner kicks.
Krom finished the match with four saves while Samantha Cecere of Wilkes made five saves.
For the third straight year Oneonta will play a first round game in the conference tournament. Each year they have advanced past the first round into the semifinals. The last two years, the Red Dragons have run into top-seeded Geneseo, which is where they will be headed next Wednesday if they defeat Plattsburgh on Saturday.
The Red Dragons have won 13 SUNYAC titles, which is the most all-time. Their last championship came in 2015 when they went on the road to defeat top-seeded Buffalo State. Oneonta enters the tournament unbeaten (3-0-1) in its last four games. The SUNYAC championship is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 3 at the highest remaining seed.
