Bonnies, Bulls Battle To 1-1 Tie Sunday

by Jason MacBain
August 26, 2012

 

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo Bulls (1-1-1) scored within the game's first 10 minutes, but the St. Bonaventure women's soccer team (0-3-1) fought back in the second half to score the equalizing tally and earn its first point of the season in a 1-1 double-overtime tie between the two Big 4 rivals.

Bonaventure's game-knotting tally came on a great defensive play by Courtney Hoenicke and subsequent finish by Brittany Charles (right) in the 62nd minute. Hoenicke stepped up from her position and intercepted a UB pass up the left wing. The junior then sent a thru ball perfectly onto Charles's run, whose shot from about 15 yards out went over the head of UB goalkeeper Ainsley Wheldon.

Charles's goal was the first non-penalty goal for St. Bonaventure all year, and just the team's second conversion this season. The first came on Friday against Pittsburgh when Shannon Van Riper converted a penalty kick opportunity.

UB opened the scoring early in the contest with a tally in the 8th minute. Taylor Thompson played a ball into Katie Roberts, who fired a low shot from the top of the box. SBU keeper Christina Sarokon got her hands on the ball with a lunging effort to her right, but the ball just crossed over the line.

After the Bulls dominated the opening portion of the match by attempting the first six shots, the Bonnies settled in attempted the game's next seven shots, but were unable to find the back of the net in the opening half.

The second half and overtime sessions were wide open with each team creating numerous opportunities, including UB hitting a post and Bonaventure striking a crossbar. In the second 10-minute overtime session alone, the Bonnies attempted five of their season-high 23 shots. In its first three games combined, St. Bonaventure attempted just 14 shots, and only six of those were on target. Against the Bulls, SBU put seven shots on frame.

"This was a significantly better effort from us from about the 15-minute mark on," head coach Manoj Khettry said in comparison with his team's first three games. "I thought we did a better job in this game than our previous three in keeping the ball, playing to feet and generating chances.

"With a young team, we wanted to create an atmosphere where every game is like a conference game, so with a rival like UB that's what it felt like today."

Freshman Christina Sarokon – making her second career start – stopped eight UB shots in her 110 minutes of action. But perhaps the biggest stop of the game came from Van Riper, who blocked down a UB shot on the goal line destined for the right side of the net in the 81st minute.

St. Bonaventure remains at home next weekend as it continues its four-game homestand. The Bonnies open the weekend with a 5 p.m. match against Syracuse on Friday, followed by a contest against Bucknell on Sunday at 3 p.m.

GAME NOTES: The corner kick opportunities were even, with each team producing five … two of UB's corners came in the second overtime period … Wheldon made six saves for the Bulls … the tie is just the second in the non-conference schedule for the Bonnies since 2009 … UB committed 16 fouls compared with Bonaventure's 12 … freshman Abby Maiello attempted a game-high five shots, while sophomore transfer Caitlin MacConnell and Charles each attempted four.

 

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