BRISTOL, R.I. – On a cool and breezy afternoon at Bayside Field, the Roger Williams University Women's Soccer team took some time to get warmed up, but when they did, they did so with a three-goal second half to grab a critical come-from-behind victory over the number-three regionally ranked University of New England on Saturday afternoon. Three different Hawks found the back of the net in then comeback effort to back a strong defensive performance.
 
The match was a showdown between the only two teams in the Commonwealth Coast Conference who have held a spot in the United Soccer Coaches regional rankings in every week thus far this season, and it was the number-eight ranked Roger Williams squad who came out with the win to improve to 9-4-0 on the season including 3-1-0 against CCC foes. Meanwhile, the Nor'Easters fall to 7-4-1 while suffering their first in-conference loss of the season to fall to 3-1-0 in CCC play.
 
The key scores for the Hawks came from Leah Yucius (Duxbury, Mass.) who netted the equalizer in the 50^th minute before Rachel Oster (Scituate, R.I.) tallied her second game-winning score of the season in the 52^nd minute of play. The victory was also the first of the comeback variety for RWU on the year, and their three goals in the second half matches their season-high for goals scored in the second half of a contest this season.
 
In goal, Roger Williams started Morgan McCutcheon (Danbury, Conn.) who allowed a single goal but also made a trio of saves as she improved to 7-2-0 in net on the season. UNE countered with Sydney Gillingham (Standish, Maine) who played well despite facing a barrage of shots on frame, as she made seven saves but allowed three goals, and dropped to 6-4-1.
 
Hawk Highlights
Rachel Oster: 1 goal (GW), 1 shot, 1 shot on goal
Leah Yucius: 1 goal, 3 shots, 3 shots on goal
Sabrina Sherman: 1 goal, 2 shots, 2 shots on goal
 
Morgan McCutcheon: 3 saves, 1 goal allowed, 90:00 minutes in goal
 
For The Opponents
Lizzie Frattaroli: 1 goal, 3 shots, 2 shots on goal
Tori Keyes: 1 assist
Morgan Diefenbach: 2 shots, 1 shot on goal
 
Sydney Gillingham: 7 saves, 3 goals allowed, 90:00 minutes in goal
 
How It Happened
The early proceedings of the contest were very defensive with neither side able to put together any consistent offensive pressure over the first 18 minutes of play. In that span, each side only managed one shot with neither on net. Roger Williams did have a great scoring chance in the 15^th minute. Rachel Oster (Scituate, R.I.) got ball on left side of the 18-yard box, shook defender, and then sent a pass across the crease. The ball found its way to Sarina Olson (Bristol, R.I.) on the weak side with a wide-open net, however, her shot missed high, and the game remained scoreless.
 
The University of New England broke the ice in the 19^th minute. As the Nor'Easters were in transition Tori Keyes (Hooksett, N.H.) used one touch to tip a pass right down the middle of the field. Lizzie Frattaroli (Boston, Mass.) won the footrace to the ball just inside the 18-yard box, and then won the one-on-one chance against Hawks goalie Morgan McCutcheon (Danbury, Conn.) as her shot went off McCutcheon's hands and then trickled into the bottom right corner of the net. The goal was Frattaroli's second of the year.
 
Despite trailing on the scoreboard, Roger Williams generated more scoring opportunities with more shots, 9-5, shots on goal, 5-3, and corner kicks, 3-1, in the first half.
 
The contest turned into an extremely physical game in the second half, but that did not seem to bother RWU as they started to turn some of those scoring chances into scores, and they broke through in the 50^th minute thanks in part to some good fortune. Leah Yucius, (Duxbury, Mass) gathered the ball on the right side of the 18-yard box and sent a ball that appeared to be intended as a cross into the six-yard box. However, during its travels, the ball struck a defender who tried to clear the ball, but she instead redirected into the net to even the score at one. Despite the ball hitting a UNE defender, Yucius did get credit for the goal, her seventh of the season.
 
The Hawks jumped in front a couple of minutes later, Raffaella Brunetti (North Providence, R.I.) chipped a pass in from the right side of the pitch and found Rachel Oster (Scituate, R.I.) at the top of the 18-yard box. In the process of gathering the pass, Oster shook one defender before bodying off a second Nor'Easter as she moved to her right. This drew out the UNE goalkeeper, Sydney Gillingham (Standish, Maine), and Oster took advantage as she chipped it past a sliding Gillingham to score her fourth goal of the season and give the Hawks a 2-1 edge.
 
RWU added some insurance in the 71^st minute. Kelly Yucius (Wycoff, N.J.) sent a long through pass to just beyond the 18-yard box. Jordin Comstock (East Granby, Conn.) was the first to the ball and got knocked over by a defender, but not before she tapped it to Sabrina Sherman (Brentwood, N.H.). Sherman had an opening and navigated through it before firing a shot from the PK line. Her first attempt was saved but the ball remained loose on the rebound, and Sherman got another chance from about eight yards away off the right post. This time she took advantage, shooting into the bottom right corner for the score, her third on the year.
 
The second half belonged to the Hawks as they outshot the Nor'Easters, 6-2, including 5-1 in shots on goal while neither side received a corner kick.
 
Overall, Roger Williams took more shots, 15-7, had more shots on frame, 10-4, and got more corner kicks, 3-1.

Coach's Corner
A massive win for the program. We did not play our best today, and there are things we need to improve, but the result was what mattered most. We needed to score goals, win the match, and that is what we did. We earned that win and created plenty of opportunities despite not playing at the level we have at times this season. We still need to find another couple of gears. We have the potential to be a really good team, but we need to be more demanding of each other. We did not have to work overly that hard today for the win. We had a lot of the ball and controlled the game which is always nice, however we gave away a soft goal and that made it difficult in the beginning. We went behind in our last conference game and could not find a way back. Today we did.

We had an opportunity at halftime to talk about what the game was showing us and how to take advantage and exploit these opportunities. We switched or tweaked our game plan but stayed true to our style of play and philosophy. We felt if we continued to play with a high tempo, move the ball quickly, get the ball into the danger area, something would happen. We ended up getting the goals we needed and turned it around. It was not pretty or the most exciting soccer we have played this fall but it was effective. We can be more clinical in front of goal. We can pass the ball better. We can defend as a unit better. However, it was another step forward towards our goal. We are leaning new things every day at practice as well as in games.

During the next couple of weeks we will begin to show the growth and experience needed for the playoffs. We are collecting points in the conference and want to be at the top when the last game is  played. It has been a roller coaster ride this season and that is not a surprise after taking a year off from competitive soccer because of the pandemic. It is difficult to coach, it is difficult to play, and it can be difficult to watch in parts this season, so hopefully everyone understands this because it is a challenge for everyone involved, but if we can stick with it, fasten our seatbelts we have more games to come. At least we are playing games this fall, which is awesome!

What's Next
The Hawks (9-4-0) have a quick turnaround as they will travel to Fitchburg State (0-10-1) to play their third game in five days on Monday afternoon. Start time is set for 12:00 PM.
 
On the other side, the University of New England (7-4-1) will look to rebound on Tuesday afternoon when they host CCC foe Suffolk University (8-3-0) at noon.