The Bombers played an electric — yet low-scoring — game against the No. 16 University of Rochester Yellowjackets this Friday, Sept. 27, at Carp Wood Field. It was an incredibly hard-fought game, with Rochester scoring a game-tying goal with three minutes left. Both teams rallied for their players the entire game, which ended in a 1-1 tie.
The entire first half was a brutal fight for the ball. The teams spent long periods on either side of the field, with their defenses working hard to push the opposing side away.
“I think it was a really good competition,” head coach Mindy Quigg said. “I think it was a good quality match. I think we had some good chances, and they had some good chances.”
The Bombers were pushed to their limit during the first half, getting impossibly close to the Yellowjacket’s goal before being pushed out and relegated to the other side of the pitch. Still, they kept their energy steady.
“I thought we played more confident the second half,” Quigg said. “In terms of just raw, raw energy, I thought we were consistent throughout the game. … We played with composure and with confidence in our play, … and we had some people coming off the bench in pretty high-pressure situations, and they did a really good job, and I’m happy about that.”
It was in the second half that the game really took a turn. The Bombers returned to the field with renewed energy, determined to take home a win. This determination certainly played a part 12 minutes in. Junior midfielder Kaelyn Fernandez saw a clear shot and took it, sending the ball straight into the hive and scoring the Bombers’ first and only goal of the game.
The fight, however, continued. Senior goalkeeper Grace Hickey kept her cool as the Yellowjackets swarmed.
“It’s a little stressful, but I feel like I’m used to it at this point,” Hickey said. “I trust my back line with everything. They have my back, and I have their backs. I came out for a ball, and I missed it, and one of my defenders cleared it off the line for me and kept us in the game in that moment.”
The Yellowjackets, however, scored with just three minutes left in the game. While their players celebrated, the Bombers used the score to fuel their play. They redoubled their efforts, spending those last precious moments attacking the opposing team.
The Bombers had the spectators on the edge of their seats as the clock ticked down, but the results did not come. Hickey said she stayed positive, thinking more about the team’s overall play than the final moments. “We know that we’re a good team, and I think we outplayed them for the most part,” Hickey said. “I think we let down for one minute, and that’s when they found their goal. I think we let up, and it was an unfortunate end.”
