The St. Bonaventure University women’s soccer team hosted the Puerto Rican women’s national team Monday at the Marra Athletics Complex, where they battled for a 2-1 win.
The first shot on goal of the game came from the Bonnies at the nine-minute mark, when freshman forward Sydney Cerza nearly converted during a scramble in front of the net. Cerza continued to create opportunities at the 25-minute mark when she had another close call.
Junior forward Danielle Vis displayed poise on the ball as she did during the fall season, finding passes and openings in the Puerto Rican defense, putting the Bonnies on the board first at the 28-minute mark by chipping in a shot just outside the box. The goalkeeper came off her line and was unable to get back into the goal and make the save on Vis’ shot.
The goal continued the scoring success for the Ontario native, who led the team in goals in the fall with four.
Cerza followed up by netting one right after Vis’ goal, following a defensive error in which a Puerto Rico player attempted to play the ball back to her goalkeeper but playing the ball past the keeper and off the post to be finished by Cerza and put the Bonnies up 2-0.
The Puerto Rican team’s lone goal came close to the end of the first half from 15-year-old Maria Luisa Colon.
The second half remained scoreless, but not from lack of trying on the part of Puerto Rico. The team turned on the offensive firepower, forcing freshman goalkeeper Lauren Malcolm to make six saves to preserve the lead.
This was the first time a men’s or women’s international soccer team has played at Bonaventure. It’s the first visit to campus from an international team since the Turkish men’s basketball team in 1994.
odonneke16@bonaventure.edu
signorra15@bonaventure.edu
