ONEONTA, N.Y. -- After a scoreless first 45, the Oneonta women's soccer team found the back of the net in the second half and held off Union for a 1-0 victory, Saturday afternoon at Red Dragon Field. Senior captain
Dominique DiOrio (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) scored the game-winning goal in the 62nd minute on an assist from junior
Sara Kealey (Seaford, NY/General Douglas MacArthur), while junior
Emily Hardison (Coram, NY/Longwood) recorded eight saves in the second half, finishing with a career-high 10 saves, to keep the shutout intact. The win improved the Red Dragons to 2-3-1 this season and dropped the Garnet Chargers to 2-2-2 overall.Â
"We worked hard to put together two efficient halves to get the win," Head Coach
Mara Primmer commented. "A good team win."
Jumping into the second half, Union recorded three shots on target in the early moments, and each shot was saved by Hardison. In the 61st minute, Oneonta moved the ball down the sideline and into the penalty area where they knocked the ball off a defender for a corner kick. Kealey took the corner and sent the ball to the far side post for DiOrio, who was unmarked, to come sprinting in for the header.
A few minutes after DiOrio's goal, in the 65th, the Garnet Chargers sent a lead pass into the 18-yard box for an open shot by Kayla Coviello, but Hardison made the critical save to keep the Red Dragons ahead.
Union registered three more shots on target in the final three minutes of play, and Hardison was able to handle them with ease to secure the victory.
DiOrio was joined on the backline by seniors
Hannah McNally (Centereach, NY/Centereach),
Katie Doherty (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) and freshman
Lily Martin (Fishkill, NY/John Jay), who stymied the Garnet Chargers during the first half, limiting them to just two shots on target. DiOrio, McNally and Martin all played the full 90 minutes in the win, while Doherty logged 83 minutes and senior
Jacey Hinds (Blossvale, NY/Camden Senior) came in for the final seven.
Garnet Chargers' Maya Koster finished with four saves in net. Hannah Sams recorded three shots on goal, while Julia Bancheri and Coviello each had two shots on net.
Oneonta was outshot 17-10 in total shots, 10-5 in shots on goal, while Union finished with a 6-5 edge in corner kicks.
The Red Dragons are back home for their next game on Saturday, September 26, when they honor their seniors for Senior Day against Eastern Connecticut State at 1 pm.
