FLUSHING, N.Y. – Returning to non-conference play Wednesday evening, the regionally ranked No. 9 Queens College women's soccer team welcomed receiving votes and regionally ranked No. 4 Saint Anselm College to Knights Field.
After a first half that saw both teams combine for one shot, the second half featured 12 combined shots and nine shots on goal. In the 78th minute, senior
Kayla Camacho connected with senior
Ashley Kieblesz, who scored the game-winning goal before the Knights held off a late Hawks rally to earn a 1-0 victory.
Queens improves to 6-3 overall on the season. With Wednesday's victory, head coach
Thomas Paris and the Knights have earned back-to-back victories over regionally ranked opponents and their first victory over a nationally ranked opponent since defeating No. 16 Southern New Hampshire University, 1-0, on Sept. 19, 2023.
MATCH RECAP
The first half saw both teams looking to control the tempo of the contest.
Despite the teams combining for five corner kicks, the first shot did not come until the 42nd minute, when a Saint Anselm attempt sailed wide left as both sides entered halftime scoreless.
The second half featured much more action, beginning with the Hawks recording three shots on goal within the opening 12 minutes. Each time, senior goalkeeper
Samantha Hines-Hirsch denied Saint Anselm to keep the contest scoreless.
On the counterattack, Kieblesz recorded Queens' first shot on goal in the 59th minute but was denied by the Hawks goalkeeper.
Saint Anselm attempted to respond on the counterattack, but Hines-Hirsch made another save in the 61st minute to keep the Hawks off the scoreboard.
As the Knights looked to shift the tempo, sophomore
Grace Kinney's shot was blocked before senior
Ava Lekanides' header off a corner kick sailed wide left in the 62nd minute.
Sophomore
Natalie Rodgers' shot on goal in the 71st minute was denied by the Hawks goalkeeper as Queens continued to dictate the play.
In the 78th minute, the Knights broke through as Camacho delivered a long ball to Kieblesz, who beat a Hawks defender before firing a shot from the top of the 18-yard box past the out-of-position Hawks goalkeeper and into the empty net to give Queens a 1-0 lead.
Over the final 12 minutes, Hines-Hirsch recorded two more saves as the Knights held on for a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Hawks, earning their second straight victory over a regionally ranked opponent this season.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Queens was outshot by Saint Anselm, 8-5, including a 6-3 edge for the Hawks in shots on goal.
- Kieblesz and Rodgers combined for three shots on goal.
- Kieblesz recorded her team-leading eighth goal of the season and extended her team-best point total to 16.
- Camacho recorded her second assist of the season.
- Hines-Hirsch made six saves to earn her sixth win and sixth shutout of the season.
NEXT MATCH
Queens returns to East Coast Conference play on Saturday, Sept. 26, as the Knights travel to Sparkill, N.Y., to take on St. Thomas Aquinas College Spartans. Kickoff is set for noon.
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)
