Box Score
Moon Township, Pa. / North Athletic Complex — Each team had the lead and lost the lead as the
Robert Morris University and Bryant University women's soccer teams battled to a 2-2 tie in a Northeast Conference game at North Athletic Complex Friday afternoon. The Colonials move to 4-6-2 overall and 0-1-1 in the league while the Bulldogs are saddled with their first tie of season and sit 5-7-1 overall, 1-0-1 in the NEC.
The back-and-forth affair featured plenty of chances for both teams despite RMU holding a distinct advantage in shots, 22-10. Two Bryant keepers – and one Bulldog defender – combined to make 10 stops and each team found the woodwork once.
Bryant saw a chance by Shana Follette go off the left post before Rachael Invanicki was stonewalled by RMU sophomore keeper
Chelsea de Jager (Grimsby, Ontario / Governor Simcoe) in the first 20 minutes of the game.
The Colonials were denied by the woodwork in the 25
th minute as senior
Marissa Raymond (South park, Pa. / South Park) found junior
Johanna Kadam (Germantown, Md. / Northwest) with a cross in the box. Kadam chested the ball and then volleyed a shot that went sailing off the crossbar and out of play.
Bryant took the lead just five minutes later. Allison DeBenedictis played an out-swinging free kick to the RMU penalty spot. Ivanicki knocked a solid header into the left corner to give Bryant a 1-0 lead in the 30
th minute.
It was a short-lived lead, however. Sophomore
Kristie Hamilton (Allison Park, Pa. / Shaler) created the equalizer two minutes later, beating her defender down the right wing and carrying in to goal along the endline. She played a late cross to the far post where Kadam was waiting for the easy header.
The Colonials took a 2-1 lead with just over four minutes left in the opening frame as Kadam scored her second of the game, third of the season. The senior found herself with the ball after a scramble in the Bulldogs penalty box, navigating traffic and beating the keeper with her shot.
The game remained tied until the 62
nd minute as DeBenedictis set up the second Bulldogs goal in much the same fashion as their first. She sent a left-footed cross across the face of the RMU goal to the far post where Katy Biagi sent a soft header into the left corner of the net.
Robert Morris limited Bryant to just two shots in the final 48 minutes of the game, but could not find the winner. They were stopped four times by Lauren Viverito in the overtime sessions.
Viverito, who came on after the first RMU goal, had eight saves. de Jager finished with four saves.
Robert Morris returns to the field Sunday, Oct. 13, when they host Mount St. Mary's. Kick-off is slated for 2:30 p.m. at North Athletic Complex.
