JERSEY CITY, NJ–The Saint Peter's women's soccer team (4-4-3, 1-3-1) fell 4-0 to Iona (3-8-2, 1-4-1) on Wednesday afternoon at Jaroschak Field. Sophomore Dolene Smith netted her first career hat trick, leading the Gaels with five shots, three on target.
WHAT HAPPENED
FIRST HALF: Iona registered the first shot just two minutes in, pushing down the right side, but
Lili Merisier stepped in with a block. Ten minutes later, Iona sent a cross into the box, where Sammie Misiolek lined up a strike from the top of the area — but it sailed high for a goal kick.
Saint Peter's answered with chances of their own.
Julia Magno Pinho tested the Gaels from the corner of the 18, but her shot was blocked. Moments later,
Heidi Miles broke through the middle of the box but couldn't convert.
The Peacocks' best chance came with under 20 minutes left. Magno Pinho played a through ball to Miles in behind the defense. Miles takes the keeper on 1v1, but Kayla Kalbaugh denies her with a phenomenal split save. Off the rebound, Miles tried again, but that attempt sailed over the crossbar.
Off the next Gaels' goal kick, Iona quickly made their way into their final third. Marisa Graziano broke through the defense, but
Tuva Norell came to make the stop.
The breakthrough came under five minutes before halftime for Iona. Off a free kick from their own half, the Gaels worked the ball into the box, where Dolene Smith pounced on a deflection and volleyed it into the top of the net past
Bergljot Kristinsdottir. Less than a minute before the whistle, Mya Jackson fed Smith again from the right side, and Smith buried her second goal from nearly the same spot, this time tucking it inside the top left corner.
At halftime, Iona holds an 8–5 edge in shots, a 3–2 margin in shots on goal, and a narrow 6–4 advantage in corners.
SECOND HALF: The Peacocks pressed early after the restart.
Mayla McLean spun around her defender for a shot aimed at the lower left corner, but second-half keeper Savannah Rogers made the stop. Minutes later, Magno Pinho fired from the top of the box off a corner rebound, but Rogers held firm.
In the 65th minute, Iona extended its lead as Camille Daniel collected a rebound off the crossbar and lofted a shot from the top of the 18 over Kristinsdottir to make it 3–0. In the final minute, Smith completed her hat trick, slotting home a low finish off a cross by Jackson to seal the 4-0 result.
At the final whistle, Iona held an 18-10 lead in shots, an 8-7 advantage in shots on goal, and an 11-6 edge in corners. The Gaels' keepers combined for seven saves to secure the clean sheet.
UP NEXT
Saint Peter's hits the road to Hamden, CT, on Saturday, October 4, to face Quinnipiac at Quinnipiac Soccer & Lacrosse Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.
For continuing coverage of Saint Peter's University Athletics, visit SaintPetersPeacocks.com and follow the Peacocks on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
