The Lady Lancers dropped their home opener to the Connecticut Fusion, 4-0. (Photo courtesy of the Lancers)
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Lady Lancers’ 2018 home opener did not go as planned Sunday.
Entering the United Women’s Soccer match undefeated, the Lady Lancers went down to a 4-0 defeat to the Connecticut Fusion at Marina Auto Stadium.
The hosts suffered their first defeat of the season, falling to 1-1-1, while the expansion Fusion improved to 2-1.
One thing was certain from the match: the Lady Lancers must work on their corner kick defense. Haley Nolan headed home a pair of Kelly Quigley corner kicks on either side of halftime for the winners. Touri Sousa scored the other two goals.
Goalkeeper Ashley Cavanaugh recorded the shutout, although a mistake by the goalkeeper almost gave Rochester a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute. Jada Sargeant had a wide-open look at the goal, but her 25-yard shot missed wide right.
Connecticut tallied one in the first half and twice in the second.
In the 45th minute, Nolan headed home a Quigley corner kick past goalkeeper Kenna Kosinki for a 1-0 lead.
Only two minutes after coming on as a substitute, Rachel Marchini made an impact, sending a cross between two Rochester defenders to Sousa, who scored from close-range for a 2-0 margin in the 57th minute.
Nolan headed in another Quigley corner in the 74th minute boosted Connecticut’s lead to 3-0.
The visitors closed out the scoring in the 89th minute as Sousa latched onto a long through ball from Rachel Cipriano and put an exclamation point on the victory.
The Fusion’s managing directors are soccer TV announcers JP Dellacamera and Shep Messing.
The Lancers (men) hosted Erie Commodores FC in their National Premier Soccer League home opener in the second game of the doubleheader at 5 p.m.
