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Iona University Athletics

Kedarjah Lewis
Will Quincy - Iona Athletics
1
Merrimack MER (3-5-1, 1-2-0)
3
Winner Iona IONA (3-5-2, 1-2-0)
Merrimack MER
(3-5-1, 1-2-0)
1
Final
3
Iona IONA
(3-5-2, 1-2-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Merrimack MER 0 1 1
Iona IONA 2 1 3

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Brian Duane / Assistant AD / Athletic Communications

Iona WSOC Downs Merrimack, 3-1 For First MAAC Win

NEW ROCHELLE, NY— The Iona University women's soccer team recorded its first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference win of the season with a 3-1 victory over Merrimack on Saturday afternoon. The Maroon & Gold picked up goals from sophomore Marissa Graziano, senior Kedarjah Lewis and Krystal Haertter to take the first ever meeting against the Warriors at Mazzella Field.
 
Graziano registered her fourth goal of the season to kick off the scoring with a header off the corner kick assist by graduate student Kate McNally. Lewis added her first goal of the season in the 32nd minute. Haertter capped the scoring in the 81st minute with her third goal of the year. Graziano and Lewis both recorded assists for the three-point afternoon in the win.
 
First-year Dolene Smith picked up her first career assist on the second Iona goal and sophomore Lauren Sonski tallied her second assist of the season on the final goal. Rookie Kayla Kalbaugh made six saves for the Gaels, all in the second half to preserve the win.

GAME SUMMARY

Iona brought the intensity from the opening whistle, getting to work early in the Merrimack zone. The first corner kick of the game came in the 13th minute for the Gaels. McNally delivered a perfect ball into the center of the box in the 13th minute, finding Graziano in stride to head the ball into the back of the net for the 1-0 advantage.
 
Merrimack looked to answer in the following minutes but the teams two shot attempts for the opening half missed wide.
 
The Gaels got working again in the 32nd minute as Graziano collected the loose ball and sent a pass out to Smith in the Merrimack zone. The rookie made the one touch through ball to Lewis to chase down past the Warriors back line. Lewis made one dribble and rifled the right footed shot past the diving keeper to take a 2-0 lead into the half.
 
Merrimack looked to capitalize out of the intermission, firing its first shot on goal four minutes into the second half but Kalbaugh was there to make the save.

Iona drew a free kick just outside the box a few minutes later, setting up Graziano for another chance on goal. Her shot caromed off the crossbar in the 57th minute.
 
The Warriors continued to work the ball in the Iona zone from there, eventually drawing a foul in the box in the 65th minute of play. Ella Cormier buried the penalty kick goal towards the left post to cut the deficit to one.
 
It was back and forth action from there as Kalbaugh made another stop on a breakaway attempt in the 70th minute and Smith missing a pair of shots just off target through traffic.
 
Iona's final goal came in the 81st minute on a textbook breakout play as Sonski sent a through ball from midfield to Lewis to dribble down the left side of the Merrimack zone. Lewis found Haertter wide open in the middle of the box to bury the shot to the left corner for the 3-1 lead.
 
Merrimack didn't back down in the final nine minutes of play, forcing Kalbaugh to make three saves including a spectacular punch out on a point-blank shot in the 86th minute to preserve the final score.

TEAM STATS

  • The Gaels held a 15-13 lead on shot attempts in the home conference opener. Merrimack paced the game with a 7-5 margin for shots on goal.
  • Iona got six saves courtesy of Kalbaugh and Lily Morgan made two stops for the Warriors.
  • Merrimack held a 6-4 advantage on corner kicks with a 4-2 favor in the second half.

UP NEXT

The Gaels will take a break with the bye week next week before returning to the pitch on Wednesday, October 2 with a noon start against Sacred Heart at Mazzella Field.
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