Box ScoreSCHENECTADY, N.Y.Erika Eisenhut converted a pass from Molly Flanagan with 75:50 left to play to lead Union to a 1-0 women's soccer victory over William Smith College in the Liberty League opener for both teams.
Cassandra Mariani got the decisive play started when she fed an outlet pass to the middle of the field where Flanagan tipped the ball to Eisenhut who beat goaltender Nikki Dudley with a hard shot to the center of the net.
The Herons, now 4-1-2 overall, had three solid opportunities to tie the game in the second half only to be turned away by Union's junior netminder Julie Gawronski. Alexandra Rieben's hard shot with 27:20 left in the game sailed off the top of the cross bar after a throw-in by Laura Burnett-Kurie. Gawronski, who posted her sixth shutout of the year and the 16th of her three-year career, stopped a hard shot by Burnett-Kurie with 26:06 remaining and then batted the ball away after Debbie Minarick's corner kick sailed toward the middle of the Dutchwomen's net.
Gawronski, who has not given up a goal this year, finished with five saves to improve her career record to 31-5-2 and help the Dutchwomen, who came into the game ranked 11th in the country, remain unbeaten at 6-0-1.
"I thought our midfielders played especially well," said Union head coach Brian Speck. "Molly, Jenna (Ondash), Caitlin (Cuzzo) and Marissa (VanWoeart) play relentlessly and go hard after every ball. The attitude that quartet has brought to the team has been a big reason for our success so far this year."
Union's defense, which was led by sophomore Jenna Ondash and freshman Cristin Tenety, allowed the Herons to take seven shots, five of which were on goal. The season's first seven games have seen the Dutchwomen build a 59-19 shot on goal advantage while outscoring the opposition 13-1.
