MANCHESTER, N.H. – Freshman Kendra Bonczar (Milford, N.H.) scored the game-tying goal late in the second half as the Saint Anselm College women's soccer team played to a 1-1 stalemate with Adelphi University on Saturday afternoon at Melucci Field as the Hawks hosted their "Kicking For The Cure" initiative.
With the tie, Saint Anselm now stands at 5-6-2 overall and 4-5-1 in the Northeast-10 conference, while the Panthers move to an 8-1-3 record with a 6-1-3 mark in the conference.
The Panthers drew first blood in the 27th minute as Donna Lanza served a corner kick from the left into the middle of the box. The ball landed at the feet of Olivia Czavar, who took a shot that was deflected by a Saint Anselm defender. Melissa Duarte picked up the loose ball and snuck it past Saint Anselm keeper Gabriella Primera (Kennett Square, Pa.) for the 1-0 lead.
The Hawks had a few chances to tie late in the first half, including their closest attempt with 6:57 remaining in the frame. Junior Alexa Lucci (Hope, R.I.) initiated the sequence with a cross from left to right to Bonczar, who sent a blast that was saved by Adelphi's Sam Whitney. The ball came loose, but Whitney covered it up before any further damage could take place.
Despite the 1-0 deficit at the end of the half, Saint Anselm held a 6-4 advantage in shots on goal.
In the 60th minute, sophomore Callie Millet (Lancaster, Mass.) sent a through ball to Bonczar, who when presented with a wide open net, shot the ball to the right, just missing the equalizer.
Saint Anselm was able to knot things up at one apiece, however, with 6:04 remaining in regulation as sophomore Rachel Gillies (Auburn, Mass.) sent a pass from the left to Bonczar, at the far post. Bonczar sent a shot high, which was blocked to the ground by Whitney, before she sunk her own rebound for the 1-1 tally.
Primera made five saves, while Whitney stopped six of seven shots on goal.
During the first overtime, Saint Anselm got off two shots, but neither went past Whitney. In the second OT period, Adelphi held the upper hand in shots, 2-1. Overall, the Hawks held the 19-16 shot advantage.
The Hawks return to action Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 3:30 p.m. when they play host to crosstown rival Southern New Hampshire at Melucci Field. Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter @STAHawks.
