SCHENECTADY, NY – Freshman forward Katie McLean (Newton, MA) scored two second-half goals to lead the 12th-ranked Union College women's soccer team to a 3-0 victory over 5th-ranked Rochester Saturday afternoon at Garis Field. The Dutchwomen have won a program-record five-straight shutouts to start the season, eclipsing the previous record of four consecutive shutouts to start the season set in 1997.

 

Junior defender Sara Wilson (Wilbraham, MA) opened the scoring in the eighth minute with her fourth goal of the season. Chelsea Hargis (East Lyme, CT) served a corner that Wilson headed into the net at the near post.

 

Rochester (3-2) had the chance to knot the game with just over five minutes left in the first half when Erin Carballo (Old Tappan, NJ) shot at a wide open net, but Wilson came streaking across the goal line to kick the ball away and preserve Union's shutout.

 

The second half of the game featured a renewed offensive effort by the Yellowjackets, as Rochester held a 10-4 shot advantage in the frame and held the ball in Union's defensive zone for most of the half.

 

The Dutchwomen capitalized on their four shots in the final stanza, netting two goals less than three minutes apart to seal the win. Sophomore Allison Cuozzo (Norfolk, MA) beat two defenders to the ball and centered it up to McLean, whose low shot landed just inside the right of the net. McLean later connected with a corner from Hargis, taking time to settle the ball and fire for her team-leading sixth goal of the season in the 58th minute.

 

The Yellowjackets had several chances to score late in the game, but found many of their shots sailing just wide of the net or colliding with Union's defense. In the 72nd minute, sophomore Eileen Boylan's (Edina, MN) header off a free kick sailed just wide of the near post.

 

Eight minutes later, Mae Butler's (Cazenovia, NY) corner bounced around the front of the net, but was kicked safely across the goal line by a Union defender. The ensuing corner again resulted in a tussle in front of the net, but Union netminder Melissa McDonald (Lynnfield, MA) came up with the ball.

 

Rochester again threatened with less than seven minutes with a pair of direct kicks by Kelsey Turley (Rochester, NY), but the first was blocked and the second sailed just wide of the net.

 

Molly Leitch (Rocky River, OH) made one save for the Yellowjackets, while McDonald stopped three shots for her fifth shutout win of the season.

 

Rochester held a 9-5 advantage in corner kicks, and collected eight fouls to Union's 12.

 

The Dutchwomen are back in action on Sunday, September 16, in a 2 pm home game against St. John Fisher. The Yellowjackets travel to RIT for a 4 pm game on Tuesday, September 18.\