FLUSHING, N.Y. – Opening a two-match homestand on Saturday evening, the Queens College women's soccer team hosted nationally-ranked Mercy University at Knights Field for an East Coast Conference (ECC) showdown.
Sophomore goalie
Samantha Hines-Hirsch (Plainview, N.Y.) and the Knights stood strong for over 87 minutes, but a late goal in the 88th minute lifted the Mavericks to a narrow 1-0 victory.
Despite the result, the Knights move to 1-1 in ECC play.
MATCH RECAP
The Mavericks came out on the front foot, recording three shots, including one on target, within the opening 10 minutes. However, Hines-Hirsch was sharp in goal, turning away the early threat to keep the match level.
Queens responded with a counterattack in the 10th minute, as senior midfielder
Adriana Melgar (Queens, N.Y.) sent a shot just wide.
Mercy continued to dominate possession for much of the first half, but Hines-Hirsch stayed composed, making three more saves before halftime to keep the score locked at 0-0.
The second half featured a more balanced contest, with the Knights pushing to find offensive momentum. In the 66th minute, Queens earned a corner kick, but the Mavericks were able to clear the danger. Just a minute later, an offside flag nullified another promising Knights attack.
Queens continued to create chances. In the 70th minute, rookie forward
Avery Shreffler (Westlake, OH) had her shot blocked, while in the 76th minute, the Knights defended a Mercy corner and countered quickly. Rookie forward
Grace Kinney (Sammamish, WA) nearly broke the deadlock with a shot from 15 yards out, but it narrowly sailed over the crossbar.
Unfortunately for the Knights, Mercy found the breakthrough in the 88th minute, capitalizing on a rebound to score the decisive goal.
Queens had one final opportunity in the 89th minute, as junior defender
Ava Angiuli (Wantagh, N.Y.) rose for a header off a corner kick, but it sailed wide, and the Mavericks clung to their lead to escape with the win.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Melgar, Shreffler, Kinney, and Angiuli combined for four shots.
- In goal, Hines-Hirsch made five saves.
NEXT MATCH
Queens concludes their homestand Wednesday, October 1, as they welcome the Owls of Southern Connecticut State University to Knights Field in non-conference action. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m.
For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics), X (Formerly Twitter) (@QCKnights), Instagram (qcknightsny), women's soccer (qcwsoccer)
