Kanuka, Garnet Turn Back Raiders
NEWARK, Nj. - The Garnet women's soccer team remained undefeated in non-conference action thanks to freshman Katie Kanuka's seventh game-winning goal of the season in a 3-2 double overtime win at Rutgers-Newark on Monday evening. Swarthmore improves to 10-3-1 overall with the victory.
The 10 wins marks the third time in school history the Garnet women have hit a double-digit victory total, the last coming in 2002 (10-9).
Swarthmore had a 1-0 lead at the conclusion of the first half thanks to junior Danielle Tocchet's second score of the season. Garnet freshman midfielder Julia Luongo chipped a ball into the center of the Scarlet Raiders' box and Tocchet put the ball away at 32:39.
Rutgers-Newark (6-9) tied the contest up in the 62nd minute - Alex Gastulo scored her first goal of the season by sending a deep, looping shot over Swarthmore goalkeeper Lauren Walker's head and off the far post. The goal brought an end to Walker's impressive scoreless streak at 385:17.
The Scarlet Raiders took a 2-1 lead 11 minutes later, curling in another long shot that bent into the left corner of the net at 72:44.
The Swarthmore women did not let Rutgers-Newark enjoy the lead for very long - freshman midfielder Maggie DeLorme netted the equalizer at 77:07, finishing off a cross from Luongo. The goal is the first collegiate score for DeLorme and the fifth scored by a Swarthmore freshman this season.
The Garnet thought they had the game won in the last tick of regulation - Kanuka finished off a mad rush by putting the ball in the net in the last second only to see the referee rule that time had expired and the two teams would go to extra time. Swarthmore had a second potential game-winner waved off in overtime - senior forward Natalie Negrey finished off a ball that had found its way through the scrum in front of the net but a foul had been committed before the score, keeping the game knotted at 2-2.
Kanuka ended the affair for good in the 108th minute of action, finishing off a cross from Negrey into the left side of the goal. It is Kanuka's team-leading 14th goal of the season, putting her in a tie for the Centennial lead with Dickinson's Lisa Nichols. It is also Kanuka's seventh game-winning goal of the season, breaking the Centennial Conference record of six previously held by Alyssa Carlow of Dickinson (2002).
Negrey's assist was her fifth of the season, putting her in a tie at the top of the Centennial with teammate Luongo.
Swarthmore held a 26-15 shot advantage (including 5-0 in overtime) and took nine corners to Rutgers-Newark's three. The Garnet shot accuracy continued on Monday night - Swarthmore put 13 of the 26 shots on net.
Walker made five saves in net for Swarthmore to improve to 5-0-1 on the season; Scarlet Raiders' goalie Katie Hastings made 10 saves of the home side.
Swarthmore returns home on Wednesday, Oct. 18 for another non-conference match - this one being a 5:00 p.m. contest with Chestnut Hill.