Box Score FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Needing a win to stay alive in the chase for a Northeast Conference tournament berth, the Sacred Heart women's soccer team defeated the Robert Morris Colonials 2-1 Friday afternoon at Campus Field.
Sacred Heart (8-8-2, 3-3-1 NEC) took the first six shots of the game, but only two of those shots were on goal. Kristin Verrette (Saugus, Mass.) put a shot on goal in the 16th minute, but Robert Morris (4-11-3, 2-3-2 NEC) goalkeeper Becky Schoenecker saved by conceding a corner kick. Marissa Christy (Massapequa, N.Y.) also had a shot saved in the 18th minute. The Pioneers got on the board in the 24th minute. Emily Dawidczyk (Oxford, Mass.) headed in a Jillian Picinich (Bellmore, N.Y.) cross to give Sacred Heart a 1-0 lead. Six minutes later, the lead extended to 2-0. Dana Cosmedy (Monroe, Conn.) put a shot on goal that was briskly knocked away by Schoenecker. Courtney Davis (Huntington, N.Y.) corralled the ball at the top of the box and fired another shot that found the net for her first goal of the season.
Robert Morris (4-11-3, 2-3-2 NEC) had its first shot of the day in the 34th minute as Lauren Sulkowski put a shot on goal that Talia Schwartz (Roslyn, N.Y.) saved, conceding a corner. As the clock hit 35 minutes, the Colonials got back in the game. Gabrielle Corrente headed in a long throw to make the score 2-1, a scoreline that held to halftime.
Just as they did in the first half, the Pioneers opened the second half with a barrage of shots. Sacred Heart put four shots on goal in the span of two minutes early in the second, with Schoenecker making all four saves. Alexis Parlato (Central Moriches, N.Y.) came close to giving Sacred Heart a 3-0 lead in the 62nd minute, but she hit the woodwork. Verrette took the loose ball and attempted to score off the rebound but her shot was cleared off the goalline by the Colonials' defense. Dawidczyk also hit the post in the 65th minute. Sacred Heart outshot Robert Morris 17-5 in the second half with Schwartz having to make just two saves to preserve the Pioneers' victory.
The Pioneers' win keeps Sacred Heart in the mix for the fourth and final NEC tournament berth. Sacred Heart now trails Saint Francis U by one point heading into Sunday's final day of conference play. The Pioneers need to beat Wagner, and have the Red Flash lose to Fairleigh Dickinson, to qualify for the NEC Tournament.
Sacred Heart outshot Robert Morris 30-8. Schwartz made four saves as Schoenecker had 12 for the Colonials.
The Pioneers wrap up the regular season on Sunday at 12 p.m. against Wagner on Senior Day. Prior to the game, Sacred Heart will honor seniors Gabby Biagini, Chandler Antczak, Monica Re, Jillian Picinich, and Kristin Verrette.
