VanGorder Scores First Goal But UAlbany Falls to Iona 2-1

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – Despite getting an early goal from Aubrey VanGorder, UAlbany fell on the road to Iona as the home team came back to win 2-1 on Friday.

Iona (1-3-1) got a couple of chances early at the net, but Alana Brennan made saves in the sixth and 11^th minute to keep the game scoreless.

UAlbany (1-3) tried to counter in the following minutes. A shot from Kari Quinn went wide in the 12^th minute. Then Allison Carhart earned two opportunities for shots, but the first was saved and the second missed wide.
The Great Danes held against an Iona offense that was frequently called offsides, including five times in the first 28 minutes.

In the 34th minute, coach Caitlin Colfer put Helena Olafsdottir into the game. The substitution paid off as in the following minute, Olafsdottir kicked a pass towards Aubrey VanGorder, who put the ball into into the net to put UAlbany up 1-0.

The lead was short-lived, Iona’s Kim Marra took a Sofia Sanchez corner kick and earned a goal, tying the game at 1-1.

A Brennan save in the 37^th minute kept the game tied as the score stayed at 1-1 into halftime.
Into the second period, UAlbany and Iona went back and forth without either getting off many shots. Twice UAlbany successfully defended against two Sanchez corner kicks in the half’s first 12 minutes without allowing a shot.


VanGorder took a corner kick in the 58^th minute, but the Great Danes did not get a shot off.
A shot by Safi Ayinde was saved by the UAlbany team in the 64^th minute, but two minutes late, Ayinde got a second opportunity and kicked a pass from Nicole Paulucci into the net to give Iona a 2-1 lead.
VanGorder tried to respond for the Great Danes in the 72^nd minute, but her shot went high above the goal.
After UAlbany defended against two corner kicks, the team got one of its own with VanGorder, but no shot was made. The Great Danes were not able to get another opportunity and fell to Iona 2-1.
VanGorder earned her first goal of the year and leads the team in points. In her first game this season, Brennan saved five shots.

Marra and Ayinde each earned their goals off the bench. Iona goalkeeper Trista Rivera got a save in the win.
UAlbany will play its first home game on Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Plumeri Sports Complex on the campus of the College of St. Rose to take on Hofstra.