Sharick, Bandrowski Score Twice to Power Keuka WSOC
Even though the Keuka College women's soccer team dropped its first two games of the 2012 season by a combined 11-2 margin, there wasn't a sense of panic among the members of the Storm.
Yes, Keuka lost to Houghton (5-0) and Medaille College (6-2), but Houghton is a perennial powerhouse that has qualified for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Soccer Championships nine years in a row, while the Mavericks advanced into the 2011 conference semifinals before losing.
During Saturday afternoon's North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) opener against Penn State-Abington, the Storm showed what it is capable of when everyone is playing to their potential.
Senior Nicole Sharick (Corfu, NY/Pembroke) and junior Jessica Bandrowski (Center Moriches, NY/Center Moriches) each posted two-goal games as Keuka (1-2, 1-0 NEAC) defeated the Nittany Lions (2-2, 0-1) 4-2 at the Jephson Community Athletic Conference.
"We had a lot to work on after those last two games, but we worked on that in practice and it paid off," Sharick said after her second multi-goal game in her last five contests dating to last year.
"We knew we had to get better touches. Passing to feet, that was something big that we needed to work on and we did and got the win today. We're still getting comfortable with each other, it's early in the season and we're still trying to figure that out, but today it all came together and we have a lot to look forward to with tomorrow's game (against Berks)."
After Abington's Kirsten Quinn staked the Nittany Lions to a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute, Sharick tied the game on her first goal of the season, when she lofted a shot high into the far portion of the goal in the 20th minute.
The teams played the remainder of the first half scoreless, but a quick-strike Storm attack took the lead for good early in the second half. Bandrowski collected a loose ball and dribbled past several defenders before scoring the second goal of her Storm career in the 52nd minute.
Twenty-one seconds later, Sharick notched her second goal of the game, collecting a failed clearing pass, dribbling around the keeper and scoring for a 3-1 lead.
Five minutes later, after a penalty was called in the box on Abington, Bandrowski was awarded a penalty shot and buried her shot for a 4-1 edge.
Abington pulled within 4-2 on Cindy Wade's goal in the 63rd minute, but an experienced defense led by senior Shelby Seeley (Livonia, NY/Livonia), juniors Brooke Lovell (Arkport, NY/Arkport) and Christine Dedes (Shortsville, NY/Red Jacket) made the lead stand.
Sophomore goalie Marriah Gough (Oneida, NY/Stockbridge Valley) made six saves for her first collegiate win in net.
"Our two non-conference games definitely helped us out heading into today's NEAC opener, it was helpful for us," Bandrowski said after scoring for the third time in three games.
"We worked as a team today, we shifted up together and we shifted back together. This sets a good tone for our team and this is big to win our first conference game."
Keuka outshot Abington 9-3 in the first half and 20-12 for the game.
Keuka returns to action with a 1 p.m. clash with Penn State-Berks on Sunday afternoon at the Jephson Community Athletic Complex.
