GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart College senior Nolan Fierro scored a pair of goals in the second half as the Statesmen knocked off seventh-ranked Rochester 2-0 in a non-conference contest on Cozzens Field this afternoon. With the win, the Statesmen improve to 3-1-1 on the season.
Christian Burkhart played all 90 minutes in the Hobart goal and made three saves. Sam Lescher, Max Daniels, and Jacob Siegel shined on the defensive end of the field for the Statesmen, limiting chances throughout the game. Santino Lupica-Tonda played all 90 minutes in goal for Rochester (3-1-1) and made four saves.
FIRST HALF:
- The Yellowjackets controlled the tempo in the first 45 minutes, outshooting Hobart 6-3 and its attempts were dangerous, probing the Hobart defensive line.
- Tony Hypsher had the best chance in the first half. In the 25th minute, he slipped between two defenders, but Burkhart made a brilliant diving stop punching the ball wide of the right goalpost.
- In the 27th minute, Colin Canning found himself wide open on the right goal post, but his header could not find the back of the net.
- Marcelo Suarez had a dangerous chance for the Statesmen in the 40th minute, but Lupica-Tondo gobbled up the bouncing ball.
SECOND HALF:
- Fierro scored the game-winning goal 28 seconds into the second half. He curled a shot from the top of the 18-yard box into the lower right corner of the cage. Quinn Phillips was credited with an assist on the goal.
- Fierro added a second goal in the 78th minute, firing a shot from the top of the box past Lupica-Tondo. Connor Koschineg was credited with an assist on the goal.
- The Yellowjackets would not go down without a fight though. In the 87th minute, Othman Belhseine just missed the right goalpost with a header on a corner kick.
- Shray Parimoo just missed the goal with two shots in the final two minutes of the game.
KEY STATS:
- Rochester finished the game with an 11-6 edge in shots. Both teams had four corner kicks.
- Today’s win was Hobart’s first against Rochester since a 2-1 win on Sept. 12, 2015.
COACH’S CORNER:
“Today you saw two very, very athletic teams getting after it,” Head Coach Shawn Griffin said. “Very few mistakes were made on both halves of the field, but the difference was we had two great strikes and that’s soccer. You play 90 minutes, and you battle, and then somebody puts in two shots like that. It was fun. We needed this win today.”
UP NEXT:
Hobart will be back in action on Tuesday, Sept. 20, when it heads to Henrietta, New York, to take on Rochester Institute of Technology. The Liberty League opener for both teams is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
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