Box Score
Highlights
Staten Island, NY – An early goal by junior Monica Zurich (Montvale, NJ / Pascack Hills) held on to be the game winner as they Wagner College women's soccer team knocked off Drexel 1-0 today at Wagner Stadium.
The two teams went back-and-forth in the first half, with each side coming up with its own scoring chances. The Seahawks recorded the games first shot, when freshman Alissa Bianculli (Islip, NY / Saint Anthony's) stepped over the ball from 30 yards out on a direct kick. The first-year forward blasted a left footed shot on goal, but Drexel goalkeeper Victoria Troccoli was in place to make the save.
Wagner got the early advantage, notching the game's first goal in the 12th minute. Alyssa Grecco (Staten Island, NY / Notre Dame Academy) dribbled down the right sideline, crossing a line drive into the 18-yard box. Sophomore Jackie Nicholas (Rockville Centre, NY / South Side) got on the other end of Grecco's cross, getting a shot off that was blocked by a Drexel defender. Zurich got to the loose deflection before anyone else could, rocketing a shot through the crowd and into the back of the net for her first of the year.
The visiting Dragons ended the first half out shooting Wagner 13-6, but sophomore goalie Katie Marcy (Bellmore, NY / John F. Kennedy) easily grabbed the two shots she faced.
The second half played out much like the first, with Drexel rifling off shots, but Wagner getting on the board. In the 54th minute, Nicholas took a stretch pass down the left side and crossed in a low liner into the box. A bit of miscommunication between the Dragon defense and Troccoli, translated into an own goal, as Nicholas' cross was meant to be cleared, but was deflected into their own goal, extending the Seahawk lead to 2-0.
Wagner's defense allowed very few quality scoring chances for the Dragons, who outshot the Green & White 26-8 on the day. Along with their 26 attempts, Drexel also earned 13 corner kicks, while Wagner was held without. Marcy made five saves in the second half, for a total of seven in the Wagner win. Troccoli made just three as Drexel fell to 2-3-2. The win marked the first time since 2004 that the Seahawks defeated Drexel, as they remain perfect at home with a 4-0-0 record and a 5-1-1 overall mark.
The Seahawks wrap up their weekend homestand on Sunday, when they host Manhattan at Wagner Stadium at 1:00 p.m. The game against the Jaspers is also Wagner's second annual Kicks vs. Cancer game benefitting the American Cancer Society.
