MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – Cassie Romanczuk smacked the game winning goal just underneath the crossbar with under six minutes remaining as IUP took down Belmont Abbey, 2-1, during the 2024 season opener in North Carolina.
The first half finished with two goals in an 18-second span before Romanczuk ripped a shot from the slot in her IUP (1-0) debut that rounded out the scoring. A fifth-year transfer from Temple, Romanczuk finished off a well-placed feed from
Aubree Dorsey at the 54:15 mark in the fourth.
Belmont Abbey (0-1) broke a scoreless tie just before halftime with Casey Etter turning and scoring on her fifth shot of the half.
Jess Davidson countered for IUP just 18 seconds later, surpassing 50 career points and leveling the score at one going into the intermission. It marked the 24th career goal for the productive Davidson, who raced down the left side and found some space on her counterpunch marker.
The junior cracked five shot attempts on the day in a well-balanced offensive effort for the Crimson Hawks. IUP finished with a 14-10 edge in shots and
Anita Planella added six saves.
Romanczuk created an early scoring chance for IUP off a steal, later racing ahead for a quality look just over two minutes into the contest. The Crimson Hawks maintained the pressure, tilting the field in their favor during the early stages of the game.
That pressure resulted in several penalty corners over the initial 10 minutes of the game for IUP. Planella stood tall for her first test of the afternoon with a lateral save on a transition chance at the 8:46 mark of the first quarter, adding another stop about 30 seconds later.
Lauren Horning looked to squeak an attempt by the right post in an up and down second quarter. The Hawks pelted a pair of long-range tries off a penalty corner in the second, both kicked aside by Belmont Abbey goalie Chloe Parker.
The third quarter did not see much materialize outside of some early penalty corner looks for Belmont Abbey and a blocked shot off the stick of Davidson about 10 minutes in.
IUP posted the better of the locks at the onset of the fourth period in a tied game. Belmont Abbey eventually made a push in the fourth quarter, drawing consecutive penalty corner chances with eight minutes left.
After Romanczuk's go-ahead goal, the Hawks fended off a final push from Belmont Abbey over the last few minutes.
Up Next
IUP finishes out its season-opening road trip on Saturday, September 7 against seventh-ranked Mount Olive at 11 a.m.
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