Two Ally Grunstein Goals Help QU Women’s Soccer Salvage 2-2 Draw Against NJIT

Friday, August 26

Kean Alumni Stadium (Kean University) - Union, NJ

4:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

2-0-1

NJIT

2-0-1

OT 1

OT 2

Quinnipiac

NJIT

Two Ally Grunstein Goals Help QU Women’s Soccer Salvage 2-2 Draw Against NJIT

8/26/2016 8:42:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Bobcats Erase Two-Goal Deficit for First Time Since Oct. 3, 2008 (119 Matches)

By: QU Sports Information

UNION, New Jersey – Heading on the road for the first time, dealing with 90+ degree heat and conceding two opening goals, a ton was going against the Quinnipiac women's soccer team to start Friday's match. Luckily for the Bobcats, a six-minute spurt highlighted by two goals from Ally Grunstein (Warren, New Jersey) ultimately helped salvage a 2-2 draw against NJIT. Both teams remain undefeated and stand 2-0-1 through three games in 2016.

A more than significant result for the Bobcats, erasing the two-goal deficit marked the first time since defeating Robert Morris 4-3 in double overtime back on Oct. 3, 2008 that Quinnipiac had either tied or won a game in which they faced a two-goal deficit. The near eight-year run spanned an incredible 119 matches since the Bobcats last accomplished the feat.

Grunstein's first two career goals in a span of 5:24 was just the lifeline the Bobcats needed as NJIT controlled possession and generated multiple scoring chances as the game progressed.

Playing in the sweltering heat throughout the grueling 110-minute match, NJIT was the aggressor early and capitalized in the 10^th minute on a couple of Bobcat miscues. The Highlander keeper boomed a kick to the far sideline where Arianna Gerber beat a sliding Bobcat defender and carried near the edge of the box. As the Bobcat defenders were scrambling to get in position to defend the oncoming rush, Gerber decided to cross to a wide open Neema Liverpool at the far post who made no mistake for the opening goal.

After more than 25 minutes without any additional tally, it was Gerber this time serving the role as the finisher in a great strike as her left-footed rocket from 20 yards out went bar-down to make it 2-0 Highlanders in the 35^th minute.

Just when it seemed as if hope was beginning to disappear in the blazing heat, the Bobcats responded immediately just 14 seconds later as Jess Fontaine (Enfield, Connecticut) took advantage of some soft defensive coverage on the restart after the Gerber goal. She played a perfect ball up the right wing that Grunstein made a beeline for, beating two defenders to earn possession. Grunstein's sprint paid huge dividends as she made a move into the box and boomed in a perfect left-footed strike that pushed the gap back to 2-1.

After seeing the Highlanders control the game for the large portion of the first 25 minutes of play, Quinnipiac finally found their footing and certainly made the most of the change in momentum as Grunstein impressed with an even more superb finish at the near post. Nadya Gill (Toronto, Ontario) took on the NJIT back line and spotted Grunstein making a run up the middle. Gill's pass was right on the money as Grunstein took one touch before taking a shot that was saved initially but skirted towards the end line. With the keeper out of position, Grunstein tracked down the loose ball and managed to curl the ball from the near end line to the opposite corner of the net and in to equalize at 2-2.

Even with the two-goal sequence, the Bobcats still needed to hold off an NJIT squad that held the edge in every major statistical category throughout the game. In just the two overtime frames alone, NJIT outshot the Bobcats 8-0 and owned a 28-11 advantage for the game.

Quinnipiac was very nearly done in by a twisting shot from 30 yards out as Dunja Trajkovic blasted the right-footed shot from distance that was tracking towards the top opposite corner of the cage but luckily for the Bobcats the ball struck iron and caromed away from trouble.

Freshman Charlotte Edmunds (Shrewsbury, England) earned the starting nod for the first time in her career, recording four saves and earning the tie as the goalie of record. Fellow classmate Olivia Myszewski (Elm Grove, Wisconsin) entered in relief at the start of the second half and make five key saves in her 65 minutes of action to help preserve the draw.

A quick turnaround looms for Quinnipiac as the Bobcats will take the weekend to prepare for another trip down to New Jersey to face Seton Hall out of the Big East on Monday night at 7 PM from Owen T. Carroll Field.