Chernyakhovsky's Five-Point Effort Lifts Lady Bears Past Gryphons

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Freshman Pamela Chernyakhovsky (Brooklyn, NY/Leon M. Goldstein) netted a strike from 25 yards out with 10 minutes to play to lift the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's soccer team to a 3-2 victory over Sarah Lawrence College on Saturday afternoon at Brooklyn Technical High School Field.

Since the Gryphons are a club team this season, the Lady Bears overall record and statistics will remain unchanged as the NCAA only recognizes games against varsity competition.

Although St. Joseph's controlled play for most of the early parts of the game, Sarah Lawrence drew first blood in the 21st minute when Michaela Florio slipped past the Lady Bears defense, received a low cross into the box from Kaylen Dornan and shot it underneath the diving Nicole Farinella (East Patchogue, NY/Bellport HS) just inside the right post.

St. Joseph's equalized the game just before the intermission when Chernyakovsky received a corner kick from Daniella Valencia (Corona, NY/Bayside HS) and managed to get a shot off in traffic and it found its way into the back of the net, sending both teams into the break tied 1-1.

Five minutes into the second period, the Lady Bears made the Gryphons pay for surrendering another corner kick, with Chernyakhovsky serving a ball into the box which found the head of Cynthia Gambino (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Kearney) making a run to the far post, leaving the Gryphon goalie helpless.

But the Gryphons would not back down and responded with a corner kick of their own four minutes later, a shot from Honor Burn finding its way through the Lady Bear defense into the back of the net, knotting the game at 2-2.

For the contest, St. Joseph's held a 10-2 advantage in corner kicks.

Both squads remained deadlocked until the 80th minute when Glenda Ascencio (Brooklyn, NY/Brooklyn International) pushed a ball to into space at the top of the box for Chernyakovsky who settled and fired a dipping ball above the defense and goalie just underneath the crossbar for the game-winner.  Chernyakhovsky, a two-time HVWAC Rookie of the Week, has scored the game-winning goal in all three Lady Bears victories this season.

Farinella finished with two saves, earning the win in net.  Sophia Rubenstein made five saves in 45 minutes of action, allowing two goals, absorbing the loss for the Gryphons.

St. Joseph's returns to action on Wednesday, October 17 facing Berkeley College in an HVWAC matchup at the Aviator Sports Complex. Kick off is slated for 6 p.m. and will be followed by the Bears squaring off with the Knights at 8 p.m.