The RPI women’s soccer team entered this week with losses in its previous two games. With three games scheduled this week, the women had a modest opportunity at turning things around in an attempt to pick up momentum as well as morale and actual victories in the waning moments of the season.
The Red Hawks opened the week early last Tuesday with a game against Hartwick College. RPI got on the board just under 15 minutes into the game when sophomore Shari Kleiman scored her first goal of the season. Kleimen, after freshman Briana Bet blasted the ball on a cross to her, shot the ball past Hartwick goalie Ashley Taylor for the score.
That point would be all Rensselaer needed, as the strong defense continued for Coach Miller’s crew. Senior goalie Tara Marandino made one save in the win as RPI outshot the Hawks 8-2 and picked up the win with a final score of 1-0.
Friday, RPI took on Vassar College. The Brewers had seven shots on goal in the first half, giving Marandino quite a workout. She stopped six, but one got by, giving Vassar a 1-0 lead, which they would take into halftime. Vassar senior Ali Fantl received a corner kick from teammate Nolo Soloman, and volleyed the ball into the goal, just under the crossbar.
In the second half, Vassar would score once more. Brewer Anna Robinson took a pass from a teammate, and then proceeded to beat an RPI defender for an open path to the goal which drew Marandino out of the box. Robinson was then able to fire the ball past the Red Hawk goalie off the opposite post into the goal.
The Red Hawks had their best shot with just under 15 minutes left on the game clock to tie up the game, but ultimately came up short. Goalie Lisa Strumwasser punched away a ball in the middle of two Rensselaer players, preserving the shutout and 2-0 victory for Vassar. Strumwasser had six saves, while Marandino had three in the loss.
RPI rounded out the week in a game with Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Rensselaer came out strong in the first half with two goals. Shari Kleiman must have liked the taste of scoring, which she got early in the week, because she recorded her second goal of the season at the 11:04 mark in this game, giving the Red Hawks the early 1-0 lead. Kleiman, out in front of the goal, kicked the ball toward the keeper, who misplayed it, allowing the ball to bounce past her into the back of the net.
At the 21:49 mark, senior Kerstin Kraft sent the ball hard into the back of the net after Briana Bet crossed it to her near the top of the box. The goal gave RPI a 2-0 advantage, which they would carry for the remainder of the game.
The defensive effort from both teams was strong all the way up until the end of the game. Both teams had opportunities to score, however, the tally would remain the same nonetheless. The Red Hawks came away with their fifth victory of the season, improving their record to 5-7-1.
The Liberty League regular season comes to an end for Rensselaer this week. RPI will play Clarkson University on the road on Friday, and then round out the weekend against St. Lawrence University on Saturday. The women will then have their season finale at home versus Rochester on October 24.
