University of Albany Women's Soccer Rallies Past La Salle in Final Minutes For Second Straight Win - UAlbany Sports 2009

Philadelphia, Pa. - Ashley Tirabassi and Katie Grant netted goals just 39 seconds apart late in regulation in leading the UAlbany women's soccer team to a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over La Salle on Friday evening at McCarthy Stadium. Goalkeeper Cate Crenson made 10 saves in the team's second straight road win over an Atlantic 10 Conference opponent.

UAlbany (3-3), which had never beaten a team from the Atlantic 10 Conference before this week, controlled play from the opening whistle. The Great Danes had their first golden opportunity to score in the eighth minute when Maggie DeVerna sent a hard shot past goalkeeper Gabby Pakhitigian. However, an Explorer defender cleared the ball away before it crossed the goal line to keep things scoreless.

Chelsea DeVerna and Chrissy Klepper each fired shots on goal which were saved by Pakhitigian in the following four minutes before the momentum shifted to the home team. After Crenson made eight straight stops, La Salle almost got on the scoreboard in the waning seconds. However, Erin Brennan's header hit the crossbar and the teams headed to recess tied at 0-0.

La Salle (4-2-1), which set program records earlier this season for winning its first four matches and blanking four straight opponents, was able to break through with a goal in the 59th minute when Brennan took a cross from Becky McGuigan and poked the ball past Crenson to put her team ahead by a goal.

UAlbany, which played 14 freshmen and sophomores in the match, rallied late in the second half with two goals in a span of 39 seconds. Tirabassi put the Great Danes on the scoreboard when she took a pass from Kendra Harrell-Vigil on a free kick from midfield and blasted the ball past Pakhitigian. Tirabassi matched the all-time program record for career points on the play, while Harrell-Vigil notched her first career assist.

Before the Explorers could blink, the Great Danes pushed across the game-winning goal. Maggie DeVerna passed the ball downfield to Chelsea DeVerna, her identical twin sister, who then sent it into the box. Through a scramble of players from both sides, Grant won the ball and shot it to the back of the net for the game winner. After Grant's attempt to double the lead hit the crossbar three minutes later, Crenson saved one more shot with 47 seconds left to preserve the win.

UAlbany's Crenson earned her second win in as many starts by turning away 10 of the 14 shots she faced. La Salle's Pakhitigian saved three of the seven shots she saw.

UAlbany will look for its third straight victory on the road against an Atlantic 10 opponent when it visits Temple on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m.

UAlbany (3-3) 0 2 - 2
La Salle (4-2-1) 0 1 - 1

UAlbany: Scoring - Ashley Tirabassi (1-0), Katie Grant (1-0), Kendra Harrell-Vigil (0-1), Chelsea DeVerna (0-1). Goalkeeping - Cate Crenson (90:00, 1 GA, 10 saves).

La Salle: Scoring - Erin Brennan (1-0), Becky McGuigan (0-1). Goalkeeping - Gabby Pakhitigian (90:00, 2 GA, 3 saves).

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information