WSOC splits their opening weekend after thrilling OT goal downs Oregon State
As they have for the last few years, Stony Brook women’s soccer was tasked on Friday with logging the first minutes of the Seawolves’ 2018–2019 Athletics season.
The Shewolves embarked on a two-game West Coast swing to open their season, taking on the Oregon Ducks on Friday and Oregon State on Sunday. And if they had any opening day jitters, they didn’t show.
Stony Brook scored their first goal of the season in the 26th minute courtesy of a rocket off the foot of Alyssa Francese that ricocheted off a Ducks defender into the net.
But despite some excellent goalkeeping by Sofia Manner, the Ducks leveled the match some ten minutes later, and scored the winning goal in the 64' to steal a 2–1 win.
That was the final score of Sunday’s contest in Corvalis too, but this time it was the Seawolves who came away on top, again courtesy of Francese.
After a scoreless first half, Stony Brook took a 1–0 advantage in 72' on a goal by Julie Johnstonbaugh. But once again, despite a career game by Manner, the Beavers responded less than two minutes later on a set piece goal that would send the game to overtime.
But that’s where Francese’s heroics came in. A penalty kick goal in 94' secured the win for Stony Brook, the first victory of the year for a Seawolves team. They’ll have one more week alone in the spotlight as they travel to South Bend for a Wednesday contest at Notre Dame before several other teams — including their fellow reigning America East Champions Women’s Volleyball and their male counterparts — get underway next weekend.
