Late Goals Give Scranton A Comeback Win

SCRANTON, Pa. - Sophomore defender Beth Stephens (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) scored two goals in the final 15 minutes of play to lift The University of Scranton women's soccer team to a win over upset-minded King's College in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon at Fitzpatrick Field.

The Lady Monarchs, who have never beaten the Royals in 14 previous tries, took a 1-0 lead at the 17-minute mark of the first-half on a goal by senior forward Annie Drimones (Englewood Cliffs, N.J./Academy of Holy Angels), her second of the season.  The play was set up by freshman forward Xavia Ortega (Bay Shore, N.Y./Brentwood), who out-fought a Scranton defender near midfield and deflected the ball towards Drimones.  Drimones then found herself in a one-on-one situation with Royal senior goalie Jackie Colley (North Caldwell, N.J./West Essex) and drilled a shot from 25 yards out that found the left corner of the net. 

Stephens finally tied it up at the 75:47 mark of the second-half by converting a direct kick from 21 yards out for her first goal of the season.  After King's was whistled for another infraction with less than four minutes remaining, Stephens took a drop-back pass from sophomore forward Eileen Sodano (Moscow, Pa./North Pocono) off a direct kick and drilled a shot that found the back of the net from 18 yards out for the match-winner.

Sophomore goalie Rachel Donatiello (Hatfield, Pa./North Penn) made 11 saves for the Lady Monarchs, while Colley was credited with two.  With the win, the Royals snapped a two-match losing skid and improved to 2-5-1, while the Lady Monarchs fell to 1-6-1.  Scranton now holds a 15-0 lead since the all-time series with King's began in 1993. 

The Royals will host Susquehanna University in the Landmark Conference opener for both teams this Saturday, September 22, at Fitzpatrick Field beginning at 1:00 p.m.