TROY, N.Y. – Senior captain Taylor Korytko scored the eventual game-winning goal in the 62nd minute as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's soccer team went on to defeat Mount Holyoke College, 2-0, at East Campus Stadium. With the win, the Engineers improve to 4-3-1, while the Lyons drop to 3-5.
In the opening 45 minutes in which the Engineers held a 17-0 advantage in shots, Lyons sophomore goalkeeper Zoe Marshall (Mississauga, ON/Cawthra Park Secondary School) kept the hosts off the scoreboard with nine saves.
RPI's best first half chance came when freshman Stephanie May (Windham, NH/Central Catholic) found sophomore Cori Winslow (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) with a through ball in the 20th minute. Winslow caught up the pass in the Mount Holyoke penalty area, but Marshall came out to cut down the angle and make a kick save.
After failing to convert on back-to-back corners in the 58th minute, Korytko (Chandler, AZ/Hamilton) was finally able to break through against Marshall and the Lyons, four minutes later. Taking a short feed from Winslow, Korytko tucked away her team-leading third goal of the season, to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Korytko nearly notched the brace in the 67th minute, when she hammered a layoff from classmate and fellow captain Dana Sailor (Londonderry, NH/Londonderry) just over the top of the net from 25 yards out.
May then set up the Engineers' second goal, slotting a low pass to junior Kate Edwards (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South), who buried her first of the year, in the 71st minute. The assist was the first point of May's collegiate career.
Freshman Hannah Bordogna (Andover, MA/Brooks School) came inches away from making it 3-0 in the 86th minute, but her shot from outside the penalty area caromed off the bottom of the crossbar and out. Junior Meghan Carlo (Rome, NY/Oriskany Central) got her head on the rebound, but popped it over the top.
RPI rookie goalie Tori Riopelle (Ashburn, VA/Briar Woods) did not see a shot in the opening 72:45, but earned the win to improve to 4-3-1. Sophomore Alex Scholz (Kapolei, HI/Punahou) played the final 17:15, recording one save. Marshall (1-4) finished with 11 saves.
The Engineers return to action on Saturday, when they travel to the University of Rochester for a non-league game (7pm). Mount Holyoke hosts Emerson College on Saturday (1pm).
Story courtesy of Perry Laskaris, RPI Athletic Communications. Photo courtesy of RJB Sports Photography.
