CAMDEN, N.J. – The Moravian College women's soccer team battled to a scoreless double-overtime draw at Rutgers-Camden on Wednesday night in non-conference action.
The Greyhounds (5-8-1) had their chances through 110 minutes of play, outshooting the Scarlet Raptors 21-9. One of those shots nearly sent the Moravian women home with a win in regulation when sophomore forward Micaela Kwochka's shot in the 84th minute deflected off the Rutgers-Camden goalkeeper and into the crossbar before bowling downward toward the waiting goalie, who quickly smothered the ball.
"Mic almost won it for us," head coach Brienne Smith said. "That was our best chance. It was a battle, and we had the majority of the quality chances. A lot of our chances just went right into the keeper's belly. We created a lot of opportunities; we just couldn't find the net. The ball doesn't seem to be bouncing our way right now."
Kwochka has taken full advantage of the uptick in minutes with star junior forward Kirsten Schall still shelved with an injury. The sophomore took a game-high four shots on goal, and only inches stood between her and a game-winning goal.
Unfortunately, Greyhounds stepping up in the face of injuries has become a theme as of late. Schall, sophomore Melissa Pavia and seniors Caroline Clark and Taylor DiSora all missed valuable minutes on Wednesday due to injuries. Smith was pleased when the substitutes off the bench reassured the notion that Moravian's depth is one of its greatest strengths in 2013.
Kwochka, along with freshmen forwards Valentina Margiottiello, Katie Searles and Melissa Walko, put in season-highs in minutes played on Wednesday, with Margiottiello and Walko both putting at least one shot on goal.
"The story of the game was our bench," Smith said. "It showed our depth and ability to be ready. These girls played more minutes than they're used to, and they played really well. Both teams tonight moved the ball very well, making it a very fun game to watch despite the lack of scoring."
The Moravian goalkeeping duo of senior Genevieve Chaleff and sophomore Jacqueline Zalis combined on their fifth clean sheet of the season. Chaleff made a save in the first half, while Zalis made three during her 65 minutes in net, including two in overtime.
"They weren't asked to do too much," Smith said of her keeper contingent. "But they executed when they were called on. They contributed to some nice distribution, and they both came off the line well and controlled the box."
Sophomore midfielder Brittany Nicoline had the ball at her feet twice in the second overtime period with a chance to walk off with a victory. Her first shot missed to the left and the second was saved by the Scarlet Raptors keeper to secure the tie with only 40 seconds left.
The Greyhounds continue Landmark Conference play on Saturday, Oct. 19 when Juniata College visits the HUB Quad for the annual Pink Out Game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness, and all funds raised through Play4theCure will be donated to The National Foundation for Cancer Research.
