Box Score PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College women's soccer team won for the third time in its last four games on Wednesday afternoon, defeating N4C opponent Triton College 5-1.
The Hawks (3-4, 3-2 N4C) struck first as midfielder Kristen Serviss (Huntley, Ill./Huntley) fired a blast from outside the box into the left side of the net to give the hosts a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute. Just over two minutes later, Serviss sent a ball deep to speedy forward Danielle Reptowski (Hanover Park, Ill./Schaumburg), who dribbled in and made a move on Triton goalkeeper Emilia Rogowski before putting the ball in the left side of the net for a 2-0 Hawks lead.
In the 34th minute, a bit of misfortune came Triton's way. Harper's Nicole Soderholm (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove) sent a cross into the middle, and Triton defender Melanie Garcia accidentally knocked the ball into her own goal to give the Hawks a 3-0 lead. Just a few minutes later, midfielder Courtney Russ (/Lake Zurich) sent a shot from the top of the box into the back of the net for her first goal of her collegiate career to extend the lead to 4-0.
The Trojans (0-5-1, 0-3-1 N4C) scored their lone goal of the game in the 40th minute. Victoria Martin-Del Campo sent a shot that ricocheted off the top crossbar, and then it hit off the back of Harper goalkeeper Sonia Valencia (Wheeling, Ill/Wheeling) and went in the goal.
Both teams had some scoring chances in the second half, the first coming in the 69th minute. Kassidy Kusher found Reptowski for a goal, but it was negated due to an offsides call.
The Hawks finally broke through in the second half, scoring their fifth goal of the game in the 77th minute. On a feed from Vanessa Salazar (Stone Park, Ill./Proviso West), Serviss blasted a shot from just outside the box that found the back of the net for her second goal of the game and third of 2015.
Harper outshot Triton 29-14 in the game. The Hawks put 14 shots on goal compared to just eight for the Trojans. Valencia made seven saves to earn the victory in goal.
The Hawks return to action this upcoming weekend at the Rochester Community & Technical College Tournament on Saturday and Sunday. Harper plays a to-be-determined opponent on Saturday before a rematch with Rochester on Sunday at 10 AM.
Other Notes: Danielle Reptowski (Hanover Park, Ill./Schaumburg) and Kassidy Kushner (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) lead the team in goals with eight apiece … Kushner was named the NJCAA DIII Women's Soccer Player of the Week on Wednesday: http://bit.ly/1KC9ANv ... in seven games, Harper has scored 29 goals (4.14/game) … the 29 goals rank sixth in all of NJCAA Div. III soccer.
