Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Senior captain Kirsten Bombardier broke a 1-1 tie in the 63rd minute to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's soccer team to a come-from-behind, 2-1, victory over Vassar College, in a very wet Liberty League opening match. The Engineers improve to 4-3 overall (1-0 Liberty), while the Brewers drop to 5-3 (0-1 Liberty).

Trailing by a 1-0 margin at the half, the Engineers drew even in the 57th minute on a smashing header from sophomore midfielder Taylor Korytko (Tampa, FL/Hamilton). The goal, which was finished directly off of a corner by junior captain Nikki Goodsell (Danbury, CT/Danbury), was Korytko's third of the season, while the assist was Goodsell's team-leading fifth.

Six minutes later the hosts took the lead for good, when Bombardier (Colchester, VT/Colchester) claimed a loose ball on the left side of the penalty area and ripped home the eventual game-winner, just inside the far side-netting. The tally was her second of the season.

Korytko attempted the extend the RPI lead in the 76th minute, but her effort from 35 yards out was held nicely by Brewers senior goalkeeper Ali Higgins (Dallas, TX/Ursuline Academy) after the shot skipped on the rain-soaked turf.

Rensselaer junior Sara Rothschild (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) then turned in a furry of tries at the Vassar goal in the final 10 minutes, including a right-footed shot in the 83rd minute and just snuck over the bar. She finished with a game-high five shots.

Vassar opened the scoring in the 31st minute off of a partially cleared corner kick. Brewers freshman midfielder Lucy Brainerd (Littleton, CO/Heritage High School) got on the end of a rolling ball at the top of the RPI 18 and one-timed a shot into the lower left-hand corner of the net for her second of the campaign.

Despite out-shooting Vassar 14-2 in the first half, the Engineers were chasing a goal after 45 minutes of play. RPI finished with a 28-2 advantage in shots (13-2 on target).

The Engineers are back in action tomorrow afternoon, when they host Elmira in a non-league contest (3pm). The Brewers are off until next Friday, when they host league foe St. Lawrence (4pm).