Looking at the shot totals on the scoreboard Tuesday night at Rochester would have told you one story. But not the whole story.
Despites only putting two shots on frame from open play all night long, the Rochester soccer team did just enough to hold on against W.F. West in a 2A EvCo clash, keeping the score level before winning it 2-1 on a penalty kick in the final five minutes.
“We have talked over the last week on what this game means for the rest of our season, especially with the league seeming to be pretty competitive,” Rochester coach Matt Ashton said. “Having lost the last three games with two of them going to PKs, it was nice to get a win tonight.”
Kailyn Black scored the game-winner for Rochester after the Warriors (4-5, 2-4 2A EvCo) won a penalty kick in the 76th minute, slotting her shot home.
Outside of that, W.F. West fired off 18 shots to Rochester’s two, leaving the Bearcats (4-6, 3-3 2A EvCo) more than a little incredulous at the final result.
“When you outshoot somebody 18-2, you’re supposed to win,” WFW coach Kevin Schultz said. “But soccer’s a funny game, and sometimes that doesn’t happen.”
The Bearcats came out on the front foot and took the lead in the 16th minute off a set piece, with a low corner kick finding Lauren Kelley near the goal line, who teed it up for Wyatt Rogerson to make it 1-0.
While W.F. West kept pressing, though, nothing else would land, and Rochester leveled the score five minutes later thanks to Emily Beasley, who latched onto a ball from a free kick and buried it.
The scoreline, giving the high shot total, was a frustrating one for W.F. West, which has been held to one goal or fewer in nine of its 10 matches.
“It’s the same story for us: we just cannot put the ball in the back of the net,” Schultz said.
Rochester is set to take on Black Hills on Thursday, and W.F. West will head to Shelton.
