WASHINGTON, Pa. (Sept. 23) – An early second half goal by
Tanisha Grewal propelled the Saint Vincent College women's soccer team to a 2-1 road victory over Washington & Jefferson College.
In the 53rd minute, Grewal set a blast from 25 yards out just inside the crossbar, and the Bearcats (5-3, 1-1 Presidents' Athletic Conference) held off the Presidents (5-2-1, 1-1 PAC) down the stretch to earn the PAC win.
Saint Vincent goalkeeper
Madison Arnold recorded a season-high 10 saves in the win, including six over the game's final 35 minutes, to earn her fifth win of the season and lower her season goals-against average to a svelte 0.71.
The victory marks Saint Vincent's first over W&J since an 1-0 decision on Oct. 2, 2007, as SVC was 0-13-2 over the span.
The match was evenly played for the bulk of the first half, with each team taking six shots over the scoreless opening 40 minutes.
With 4:01 left in the half, the Bearcats'
Lexi Durkacs broke free and outraced the W&J defense to connect on a breakaway goal, her second of the season. to give the visitors the 1-0 lead.
The advantage was short-lived, however, as just two minutes later, W&J's Skylar Bibbee scored to tie it at 1-1, which is how it would stand heading into the intermission.
Over the opening 45 minutes, W&J held a slim 7-6 advantage in shots, with Arnold turning in four first-half saves.
Saint Vincent came out of the intermission on the attack, tallying four shots and a corner kick over the first five minutes. The Bearcats would finally cash in on their fifth shot of the half, when Grewal collected the ball in traffic outside of the top of the box, and unfurled a turning, right-footed shot that eluded the leaping W&J keeper to give the visitors the one-goal lead.
The Presidents looked to counter, but Arnold came up big, making four saves between the 67th and 73rd minutes to preserve the lead. As the clock wound down, W&J continued to press. The Bearcats thwarted a pair of W&J corner kicks in the 86th minute before Arnold came up with two saves over the game's final 90 seconds to seal the SVC win.
W&J closed with a 14-11 margin in shots and a 5-4 edge in corner kicks.
Grewal paced SVC with three shots on the day, while Durkacs and
Emma Koller each took two attempts.
Saint Vincent will return to PAC play on Wednesday, Sept. 27, when it travels south to Waynesburg University for an 8 p.m. match under the lights at Wylie Stadium.
