Manhattan Holds Off Gaels Late Rally; Lady Jaspers Remain in MAAC Playoff Hunt

Box Score

RIVERDALE, N.Y. ? The Manhattan College women's soccer team held off a late Iona (3-16-0, 2-6-0 MAAC) scoring surge, securing a 4-3 victory this afternoon in New Rochelle. Junior midfielder Alexandra Konneker kept Manhattan's (7-7-3, 4-2-2 MAAC) playoff hopes alive by scoring the game winning goal in the 66^th minute.

“It was good to avenge our loss last year on Senior Day,” stated head coach Sean Driscoll. “We possessed the ball well in the first half and attacked well in the second. Overall, it was a solid performance and great conference win.”

The Gaels got on the scoreboard first with a goal coming off the foot of Kendra Chisolm in the 30^th minute. Chisolm escaped behind the Manhattan defensive unit and took advantage of a 1-on-1 opportunity with Lady Jaspers' goalkeeper Alyssa Bachowski.

Manhattan was quick to respond. Less than three minutes later, Christine Reina her fourth goal of the season and first of the contest when she finished on a feed from freshman Michelle Djonovic.

The Lady Jaspers rallied for three unanswered goals early in the second half to take a commanding 4-1 advantage.

Junior co-captain Courtney McMahon notched her fourth goal of the year in the 50^th minute, assisted by Tracey Colantonio. Reina followed with her second score of the game 1:27 later.

With 65:48 on the clock, Konneker registered what proved to be the game winning goal. Freshman forward Megan Lavecchia set up the play with a precise feed, which Konneker buried into the back of the net marking her first of the season.

Iona posted two goals in the final six minutes of the game to pull within one, but could not get any closer. The scores came from Chisolm and Laura Ruocco.

Bachowski recorded the win in net with two saves on the afternoon.

The Lady Jaspers travel to Fairfield on Sunday for the final match of the regular-season. To qualify for the 2008 MAAC Championships' four team field, Manhattan must defeat the Lady Stags and receive favorable results in other league match ups.

Manhattan University Athletics