By DAVID MEISTER
Sports Editor
Kicking off this week with men’s soccer, the team headed into last Wednesday’s showdown against the Molloy Lions undefeated and looked to keep their unblemished record intact, but fell in a close one, 2-1. The game ended in regulation with a draw, junior Andew Lule scored the equalizer in the 85th minute to force overtime. But in the extra session, the Golden Knights could not get on the board, and with two minutes left in the second OT, the Lions pounced and got the game winner to seal Saint Rose’s fate. The team is now 4-1 and is off until their next match on Sept. 25, which is at home against the Southern Connecticut State Owls. The match is slated for 7 p.m.
Keeping it outdoors for women’s soccer, the team was also undefeated heading into their Wednesday contest with the American International Yellow Jackets and kept their perfect record after defeating AIU 3-1. Saint Rose entered play 12th in the United Soccer Coaches National Poll. Three different Golden Knights managed to get on the score sheet: junior Ciera Lundy and senior Nina Predanic scored one apiece in the first half while senior Caitlyn Debagian got one in the second half. The team is now 4-0-1 and has a break until their next match on Sept. 24 at home against the Pace Setters, kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Next up is women’s volleyball, the team was out in Erie, PA last weekend for the Gannon-Edinboro Tournament. They opened play Friday night with two matches, the first against the host Gannon Lady Knights and the second against the other host, the Edinboro Fighting Scots. Saint Rose lost both matches, being swept by the Lady Knights three sets to none (25-14, 25-9, 25-12) and falling three sets to one to the Fighting Scots (25-17, 23-25, 25-23, 25-19). Senior Stevie Schweitzer once again led the Saint Rose offense with 21 kills between both matches while fellow senior Tina Ceriello had 41 combined in both games. Day two of the tournament on Saturday saw the Golden Knights try to bounce back in two more matches, first against the Walsh University Cavaliers and the second against the Malone Pioneers but they lost both of those matches as well. The Golden Knights were swept by the Cavaliers and lost three sets to one to the Pioneers. Scweitzer had 23 kills between both matches. The team falls to .500 at 6-6 and they will be back in action on Tuesday, Sept. 24, on the road against the Assumption Greyhounds.
On a final note in men’s and women’s cross country, the teams were in action last Saturday at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational. Two members of the women’s team finished in the top 40 in the 5K race. Senior Lauren Rabideau finished 31st with a time of 19:21.86 while sophomore Hannah Willging crossed the line in 39th in 19:38.38. On the men’s side senior Evan Ireland was the only Golden Knight in the top 100 to cross the line in the 8K race with a time of 27:11.56 and 64th place.
