From University of Rochester Athletics
Two goals, one late in each half lifted the University of Rochester women's soccer team to a 2-2 draw at 7th-ranked William Smith College on Sunday afternoon at Cozzens Field.
The draw is the third straight in the all-time series between the Yellowjackets and Herons who both move to 3-0-1 on the season.
Claire Grover recorded her team-leading fifth goal of the year in the 41st minute, while Natalie Kocsis notched the equalizer with a little over ten minutes remaining in the game. Katharina Probst assisted on Grover's goal in the first half, while Mia McGinty earned her fourth assist in the last two games, providing the helper on Kocsis' score.
In goal, Grace Kuropatkin made several terrific saves on the Herons, finishing the game with a career-high eight.
Overall, the teams were evenly matched in on the stat sheet, with William Smith holding a 16-13 lead in shots and 10-7 edge in shots on goal. The host Herons took the only corner kicks in the game, earning two in each half.
Kuropatkin made a pair of back-to-back stops in the 13th minute, denying Julia Dimenna and Ruth Hotaling scoring chances.
The Herons pair combined to open the scoring at 21:17 of the first half eight minutes later. Hotaling took possession near midfield and laced a through ball up the center of the field to Dimenna in stride. The William Smith forward broke free and deposited her shot past Kuropatkin just inside the right post for the 1-0 lead.
At the 36-minute mark, UR's Probst nearly got the 'Jackets on the scoreboard, capitalizing on William Smith's keeper being far out of the box, but the first-year's shot sailed just wide of the right post.
Grover recorded the tying goal at 40:27, using a great individual effort on her part, but also capitalizing on the hard work of her teammates. After a turnover, the Yellowjackets found Grover with the ball charging toward the William Smith box. The senior forward dropped a ball off to the right to Probst who promptly returned the ball to Grover who connected on the give-and-go chance, moving the score to 1-1.
As time ticked away in the opening half, Kocsis fired a hard shot on net, but Heron keeper Kirsten Nelson made on of her five saves on the day, keeping the game tied at intermission.
William Smith struck early in the second half, grabbing the lead just forty seconds in. After the assistant referee waved off an offside call, Emma Faso dropped a pass back to Hotaling who sent a looping cross from the right side near the left post. The ball took one hop to Shayna Straney who tapped in the go-ahead goal.
The Yellowjackets couldn't break the Heron defense for much of the second half, with only two shots being taken throughout the first thirty minutes.
As the clock approached ten minutes remaining, another William Smith turnover gave UR possession in Heron territory. A quick pass from Mia McGinty found a streaking Kocsis in space up the middle of the field, splitting two defenders before beating Nelson in goal for the equalizer.