CSI's Samantha Wysokowski netted two goals despite the three-goal loss

The College of Staten Island women’s soccer squad couldn’t overcome a disastrous first half, yielding five goals, three in the final eight minutes of the fame, en route to dropping a 6-3 decision to visiting Wisconsin-Platteville as part of the Inaugural CSI Fall Classic at the CSI Soccer Complex.  The Pioneers, who added a final goal with 10 seconds left in the game, improved to 2-0 overall on the season while the Dolphins leveled to 1-1.

Despite an even pace to the game in the early minutes, it was the Pioneers who struck first when Briar Trotter laced a low shot passed CSI keeper Victoria Donegan off of a Lindsey Harms pass to open the scoring just 7:20 into the game.  With WPU riding the high, CSI managed to come right back.  WPU keeper Molly Bender was caught out of goal less than a minute later and CSI attacker Samantha Wysokowski took advantage firing a 30-yard rocket after a WSU defender misplayed the ball to her.  That leveled the score at 1-1 after only 8:39 gone by.

Again the teams battled back and forth until ultimately, WPU took the lead for good on a Sarah Eck goal that was dipped in from close range off of a Katie Viney corner kick.  But the wheels seemed to come off CSI’s defense shortly after, as the Pioneers laced in three goals in a span of 5:51.  The first two came unassisted by Anna Strasser and Cory Daehling, as the Pioneer attackers came into the CSI box virtually unmarked, firing at will at a helpless Donegan, who also managed to turn back to breakaway attempts as well, which could have made the first half score even more lop-sided.

Halftime came just in time for the Dolphins, as the home team seemed to collect themselves from there.  A much crisper CSI took the pitch in the second half, and although WPU had their chances, the Dolphins made the game respectable with a pair of goals.  Against keeper Jade Jandt, who started the second frame for the Pioneers, CSI’s Danielle Alexandrini scored her first career marker, meeting a ball deep into the box that Jandt was slow to get to and bouncing it off the goalie and into the net to cut the lead to 5-2 at the 56:48 mark.

After a CSI player was fouled in the penalty box, Wysokowski did the honors of taking a penalty shot and buried the ball into the top shelf to make the score 5-3 with 5:21 to go.  Eck would score her second goal with 10 ticks to play, spoiling a second half shutout by Donegan, who again turned back a pair of point blank shots in the frame.

Bender scored the win in goal, making a lone first half save, while Jandt made three saves.  Donegan finished with 10 saves despite the loss.  WI-Platteville finished with the edge in shots, 28-11 (16-8 on goal).

CSI will have a full week off before playing again.  The team will host Lehman College on Saturday, September 8, at 12 Noon at the CSI Soccer Complex.