Rugar's Five-Point Day Sends UAlbany Women's Soccer to 4-1 Road Victory over Quinnipiac
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HAMDEN, Conn. – Kiana Rugar, with five points on the day, and Vivian Vega combined to score three second half goals to lead the UAlbany women's soccer team to a dominant 4-1 victory over Quinnipiac on the road on Tuesday.
“We played a team that tried to make the game very chaotic, and we found a way to be composed and play our game,” said UAlbany acting head coach Nick Bochette. “When [Rugar and Vega] find their chemistry, they are hard to beat and fun to watch; we love to do whatever we can to get them the ball.”
Rugar finished with two goals and an assist for UAlbany (4-4) for a five-point day, a new personal record. She earned her tenth career assist to tie the UAlbany women's soccer all-time program record with Rebecca Lee and Maggie DeVerna.
“We have been training on ways to penetrate the defense, and it has been paying off,” said Rugar. “Vivian and I know each other very well and we had some good balls against Quinnipiac's defense.”
Vega finished with a goal and an assist, helping set up Alexa Schneider for UAlbany's first half score against Quinnipiac (4-2). Alana Brennan earned the victory with three saves in ninety minutes in the goal.
For the Bobcats, Jess Gargan scored the team's lone goal from Jess Fontaine in the 58th minute. Natalia Grodzki had four saves and four goals allowed in 90 minutes between the pipes.
Quinnipiac was the early attacker, taking a pair of corner kicks in the first seven minutes. Twice the Bobcats took shots off the curl, with each going wide.
Brennan kept the score at zero in the following minutes as UAlbany and Quinnipiac tried to win in the midfield battle. Shots from Jess Gargan in the 13th minute and Jess Cascio in the 20th minutes were saved by Brennan.
UAlbany got some offensive pressure in the 34th minute as Caitlyn Paltsios took a shot on the goal, which was saved. Two minutes later, Rugar found an open Schneider, who buried a shot into the net to put UAlbany up 1-0.
The Great Danes kept the ball on its offensive third in the final minutes, getting a pair of chances. Mariah Williams sent a ball high while Schneider's shot off a Krista Fitzpatrick corner kick was saved. UAlbany went into halftime up 1-0.
Just over four minutes into the second half, Rugar passed to Vega next to the goal box on the near side. Vega dribbled back and forth trying to get around a defender, getting a look and kicking a rocket inside the right post for the goal, giving UAlbany a 2-0 advantage.
In minute 58, a ground ball cross from Fontaine found Gargan near the right post. Gargan kicked quickly and scored just inside the woodwork, cutting UAlbany's lead to 2-1.
Off a corner kick that was kicked back to the sender, Paltsios tried again and put the ball into the box. Savanah Courtney got a head on it, sending it above the crossbar and out of bounds.
Each side went back and forth as the two teams' goalkeepers kept preventing chances. Rugar had a breakaway after receiving a cross, with Grodzki kicking the ball away as Rugar was about to enter the box.
After a stoppage in play in the 82nd minute, UAlbany quickly went on the attack as Vega stormed down the field with the ball. Drawing two defenders, Vega passed to Rugar just inside the goal box in the middle. Rugar lined up, took and shot and scored to add the insurance goal, making it 3-1 UAlbany.
In the closing minute, a heads-up Rugar stole a throw-in and sprint past two defenders. One-on-one with the keeper, Rugar drilled the ball from 15 yards out into the net for her second goal with 20 seconds left. UAlbany took the victory 4-1 over Quinnipiac.
UAlbany's next game will be in New Jersey as the Great Danes take on Seton Hall on Sunday, September 20th at 1 p.m.
