DOBBS FERRY, NY – The College of Staten Island women's soccer team played the first of three consecutive road matches to end the regular season this afternoon as they faced the Mercy University Mavericks in Dobbs Ferry.
After breaking the program's single game saves record earlier this season, Oksana Zahirna was put to the test once again against the Mavericks. Mercy registered five shots, all saved by Zahirna, in just the first eleven minutes of the match. The Dolphins did slow the Mercy attack from there and tallied two of the next three shots over a 14-minute span. However, the Mavericks regained control for the remainder of the half and finally broke through for the first goal of the match on their thirteenth shot. Mercy would record just one additional shot prior to the halftime break, and the game reached the intermission with the Mavericks leading, 1-0.
Following halftime, Zahirna would hold the Mavericks without a second goal through another fourteen shot attempts. This forced the CSI goalkeeper to make another eight saves, and her performance kept the Dolphins within a goal until the 78th minute. This is where the Mavericks finally put one past Zahirna to extend their lead to a pair. Albana Gjonbalaj would register a lone shot attempt late, but this was not enough to get the Dolphins on the board in a 2-0 defeat.
In addition to the late shot by Gjonbalaj, Caitlyn Thompson recorded a pair of first-half shots for the Dolphins, one of which was on goal. The 18-save performance for Zahirna was second only to her record-breaking 22-save effort earlier this season for Dolphins goalkeeping.
The College of Staten Island women's soccer team will be back in action on Wedneday, Oct. 29, when they face Pace University on the road in Pleasantville.
GAME REPLAY
