Box Score Box Score
TROY, N.Y. – Freshman Melissa Mansfield scored two first half goals and the Union College women's soccer team held on for a 2-0 victory over Rensselaer, in Liberty League play at East Campus Stadium. With the win, the Dutchwomen improve to 12-3 overall and 4-2 in league play. The Engineers are now 4-8-2 and 1-5 in the conference.
Mansfield (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) got the visitors on the board in the 25th minute, when she turned and ripped a shot past RPI freshman goaltender Stephanie Vargas (Fogelsville, PA/Allentown Central Catholic) from the top of the penalty area. Sophomore Taylor Bresnehan (Newburyport, MA/Newburyport) slid a pass across the top of the 18 for Mansfield, who cut to her right before firing a shot inside the right post.
Union pushed its lead to 2-0 in the 40th minute, when Mansfield headed home a corner by sophomore Jennifer Mansfield (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) from just outside the six-yard box. Mansfield used her height to get on top of the cross and hammered into the left side of the net.
The Dutchwomen outshot RPI 10-4 in the first 45 minutes, including 4-1 on goal.
Rensselaer, which spent much of the opening frame defending, picked up its play late in the second half and created a handful of scoring opportunities.
Freshman striker
Rachel Tietzen (Kelowna, BC/Kelowna Secondary School) rifled a volley just over the crossbar on a corner kick by sophomore
Nikki Goodsell (Danbury, CT/Danbury) in the 50th minute. Freshman
Sara Rothschild (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) and Tietzen had shots in the 77th and 78th minutes, respectively, but neither found the target.
A Union handball in the box gave the hosts a penalty kick in the 82nd minute, but freshman
Alex Shaw's (Jamison, PA/Central Bucks HS East) attempt slammed squarely off the right bar.
The Dutchwomen finished the game with a 14-8 edge in shots and a 5-4 advantage in corner kicks. Sophomore keeper Kayla Marti (Newburgh, NY/Newburgh Free Academy) made two saves for the shutout, while Vargas ended up with four stops.
The Engineers close out their Liberty League schedule tomorrow afternoon, when they host Skidmore at East Campus Stadium (1pm). Union visits Vassar (1pm).
