Hartford women settle for draw with Colgate

Aldred's penalty gives Hartford lead, but Hawks make due with 1-1 tie

September 22, 2008

The University of Hartford women’s soccer team played to a 1-1 draw against Colgate University Sunday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.

Hartford (2-3-3) scored first but saw Colgate (2-6-1) tie the game in the 77th minute. The Hawks had several good scoring chances in overtime but couldn’t finish. Hartford outshot Colgate 17-7 in the contest, including 5-0 in extra time.

After a scoreless first half, Hartford got on the board in the opening minutes of the second stanza when a foul inside the 18-yard box yielded a penalty kick. Senior Lauren Aldred calmly stepped up to the spot and drilled the shot into the top-right corner of the goal to give the Hawks a 1-0 advantage. It was her second goal of the season.

Colgate’s goal came on an individual effort by Jessica Bitsack. The ball was played into the box from the left side and Bitsack got to it a split second before Hartford keeper Lauren Brodeur. She flicked the ball into Brodeur at point-blank range, and the rebound ended up between the two players.

Brodeur made a final lunge for the ball, but Bitsack took one touch away from the goal before chipping a shot inside the far post.

Neither team took a shot in the first overtime, but the Hawks put on the pressure over the final 10 minutes. Hartford had three solid chances for the game-winner in the game’s final eight minutes. A foul just outside the box on the right side gave the Hawks their first chance. Senior Chiara Caen served a ball in front of the net that Aldred headed on goal, though Colgate keeper Rebecca Michlin was there to make the stop.

Minutes later, freshman Breeanna Robinson caught up to a pass on the right sideline and had a step on her defender. She cut back to her left for a better angle on the shot but pushed it just a foot wide of the far post.

Junior Rachel Richards had the final scoring chance with 1:25 to play. Colgate was working to clear the ball out of its backfield when Richards cut off a pass and had only one defender in her path. She dribbled to the top of the box and rocketed a shot that went high.