May 25, 2007 W-League Rochester Raging Rhinos Women vs Toronto Lady Lynx (from www.rhinossocer.com)
Toronto trounces Rhinos 4-0
Rochester Rhinos News Release - www.rhinossoccer.com
Friday, May 25, 2007
ROCHESTER, NY -- Despite outshooting Toronto 15-14, the Rochester Raging Rhinos Women's team fell to the Toronto Lady Lynx in their season and home opener tonight, 4-0.
"We outshot them and had a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks," said Amos. "We had some great opportunities, we just need to shore up the defense; we need to develope ways to stop players from getting to the goal."
The Rhinos found themselves trailing early after Toronto's Brittany Moore took a pass from Brooke McCalla and slid a shot just past the diving Joy McKenzie to give the Lynx a 1-0 lead just 20 seconds into the match.
Just over two minutes later, Toronto struck again when Tina Romagnuolo slipped a pass through two Rochester defenders and sent Adirienne Ruhe Lischke on a breakway where she fired a left-footed shot past McKenzie for a 2-0 Lynx lead in the 3rd minute.
Rochester settled down after that as they came up with some quality scoring chances of their own. Shortly after Toronto's second goal, Sam Hawn sent a shot from 20-yeards out which was the first test for Lynx goalkeeper Justine Bernier.
Rachel Kruze had the best chance of the half for Rochester when her shot from just outside the penalty area was headed for the upper left corner of the net before a diving Bernier punched it over the net in the 6th minute.
Toronto took a commanding 3-0 lead in the 18th minute when Stefanie Morra snuck through the Rochester defense and buried a shot from well inside the penalty area. It was the third goal on Toronto's third shot of the game.
Rochester again answered back with more scoring opportunities as in the 33rd minute, the Rhinos were awared a direct kick which Kruze fired a shot from just outside the box which was blocked by the wall of Lynx defenders.
"Rachel played outstanding tonight," said Amos. "She controlled the midfield well and created chances for her teammates."
Bernier was called on to be strong again in the 45th minute as the Rhinos looked to add a late tally when Gretchen Miller launched a strong left-foot from 20 yards out; but Bernier was there again to punch it over the net.
Though trailing 3-0 at the half, the Rhinos controlled the action for a good portion of the half as they held a 6-0 advantage in corner kicks, but were unable to capitalize.
Toronto added a goal in the second half when Brittany Bisnott muscled her way past the Rhino defender and scored on a nicely placed shot in the lower right corner of the net.
A special moment for the Rhinos came in 50th minute when 15 year-old Brittany Kinmond (Spencerport, NY) came into the game in place of Leslie-Ann James to an arousing applause. She made an impact in her first game as she took the ball down the left side of the field and sent a nice left-footed cross into the box where it was cleared away by a Toronto defender in the 72nd minute.
In the 88th minute, Kinmond had a chance of her own to score when she had a partial breakaway inside the box but her shot was deflected just wide by the right hand of an outstretched Bernier.
The star of the second half, however, may have been Joy McKenzie. The Rhino goalkeeper made a number of sparkling saves, the first of which coming at the 48th minute when she dove to her right to stop a shot from Romagnuolo.
In the 56th minute, McKenzie made what was annouced the "save of the game" as she again dove to her right on a shot from Danielle Blair from about 30 yards out. McKenzie was called on minutes later as she came out and stopped Morra's breakway attempt in the 58th minute.
"I thought Joy played well, especially in the second half," said Amos. "She improved throughout the game, hopefully we see that momentum carry over to the next game."
McKenzie ended the game with those three saves while Toronto's Bernier had nine for the shutout.
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