CLARION, Pa. – In an evenly-played contest throughout, Clarion found the go-ahead goal in the 89th minute as IUP women's soccer fell by a 3-2 tally in the 2023 opener.
Evelyn Cook netted both the equalizer in the 52nd minute and the eventual game-winner at 88:45 of the contest. It diminished what was a strong effort for IUP (0-1), which led 2-1 at the intermission.
Shots were identical at 20 each, while Clarion (1-1-1) had more attempt on target over the 90 minutes. IUP held the slight edge in corner kicks, 7-4.
Freshman
Elle Smith made an immediate impact in her collegiate debut, recording the first goal of the season in the 28th minute on a rush up the left side. Almost two minutes later IUP added its second and final goal, this time coming from senior
Kristen Finnerty for a 2-1 advantage.
Senior
Vanessa Berlin collected eight saves in goal for IUP, while her Clarion counterpart Sage Shrek made eight stops of her own.
The Golden Eagles knotted the score at the 51:48 mark before both sides traded chances for the remainder of the half. Senior
Rachel Onderko placed a low shot on frame in the 59th minute, followed by a chance the whizzed wide right in the 74th minute.
Smith finished with a game-high seven shot attempts, while Finnerty added four shots for the Crimson Hawks.
Up Next
IUP returns to action for its home opener on Saturday, September 9 for a 1:00 p.m. start against St. Michael's.
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's soccer on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPsoccer.
