ANNANDALE, N.J. — Purchase College faced a gut-wrenching defeat on the road Saturday after a late goal put the Panthers on the wrong end of a 1-0 decision against Bard College. The non-conference loss snapped a five-game unbeaten streak and delivered PC (2-1-3) its first loss of the season.
Bard (3-1) came out of the gates firing on all cylinders, stringing together a slew of shots and three corner kicks in the first 11 minutes. The first attempt, a short-range strike from Emma Kuntz at 1:56, seemed destined for the bottom left corner—but Panther netminder Carolyn Hough (Massapequa, NY) had other plans. The standout sophomore made a spectacular diving save that tipped the ball just outside the post.
At the break, Bard held a 16-2 advantage in shots and 5-0 sweep in corner kicks. The hosts continued their relentless attack in the second half but the Purchase defensive line held their ground, thwarting numerous scoring attempts in the onslaught.
Purchase had flashes of brilliance as well, including a counterattack in the 72nd minute that resulted in a yellow card for Bard and free kick for the Panthers. From about 30 yards out, junior forward Rebecca Quick (Millbrook, NY) displayed remarkable power and precision with a brilliant shot that had everyone holding their breath. The ball soared through the air, through the fingertips of Bard goalie Seymore Rosenberg, but not into the back of the net. Instead, the ball hit the crossbar with resounding thud and back in the home team's possession.
As the clock ticked down, the game seemed destined for a hard-earned draw. However, the narrative took an unexpected twist in the final six minutes of regulation when Bard's Waleska Brito knocked one in off a cross from Carina Cook. Hough tipped the long-range pass in a failed save attempt and an unmarked Brito was there to collect the loose ball for an easy open-goal shot inside the six-yard box.
Minutes later, the final whistle confirmed a 1-0 victory for the Raptors and left the Panthers with their first setback of the season.
Hough finished with an impressive 15 saves on the day, despite being tagged with the loss. Brito collected three saves to preserve the shutout for Bard.
Saturday's contest wrapped up a road-heavy stretch for Purchase. The Panthers will return to their home turf on Monday for a non-conference matchup against Lehman College starting at 7 p.m.
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