Photos Courtesy of Susquehanna Athletics
By Pat McDermott
The Susquehanna Women’s Soccer team dropped their first game of the season after a 2-0 loss against Misericordia at Sassafras field Monday night.
The game was originally scheduled as the season opener for the River Hawks (4-1) on Tuesday, Sept 1, but the two teams were only able to play 15 minutes before the game was rained out.
In those 15 minutes, Misericordia (2-0-2) got off to a hot start early in the match, scoring within the first five minutes of the game, thanks to a header from Saydi Renzo off a corner kick.
Susquehanna responded by creating several opportunities of their own, while Misericordia dominated possession of the ball, limiting their chances.
The Cougars continued to create opportunities, putting several shots on goal that were turned away by the River Hawks goalkeeper Katie Henchy.
This is when the game would be paused and scheduled to be resumed later. The game resumed on Monday Sept 14, two weeks after the original match date, starting with 30:38 left in the first half.
While the two teams waited to meet again, the River Hawks won their next four games, boasting a 4-0 record heading into the rescheduled match.
When the two teams met again, Misericordia controlled possession for the majority of the first half, while Susquehanna struggled to gain momentum on the offensive side of the field. Several fouls were called against the River Hawks, giving Misericordia more opportunities to get the ball downfield.
No additional goals were scored in the final 30 minutes of the first, giving Misericordia a 1-0 lead going into halftime.
The River Hawks started the second half with more aggressions offensively, shooting four shots within the first ten minutes of the period.
However, it would be Misericordia to score the next goal of the game after Julia Haywood found the back of the net with 24:36 remaining in the match, giving the Cougars a 2-0 lead for the Cougars.
Susquehanna would continue to build a comeback in the game as they were able to keep the ball out of The Cougars hands, but The Cougars we’re able to hold on to their lead as time experienced.
Henchy finished the game with five saves, while The River Hawks had seven shots, all coming in the second half of play.
The River Hawks look to bounce back with another win under their belt when they travel to Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 7p.m.