NEW YORK — The Pratt Institute women's soccer team put together an all-around team effort to honor their seniors, defeating Immaculata University 4-2 on Saturday afternoon at Randall's Island.
The team recognized seniors Kat Thomsen (Palo Alto, Calif.) and goalkeeper Emma Gaspari (Naperville, Ill.) before kickoff, then leaned on both throughout the match. Gaspari totaled eight saves, and Thomsen posted a goal and an assist.
Immaculata threatened early. Gaspari denied a close-range chance in the 2nd minute, and in the 23rd minute first-year defender Josey Kanach (Washington, D.C.) cleared a shot off the line destined for an open goal to keep it scoreless.
Kanach then put the Cannoneers ahead in the 32nd minute, rising up to nod home a corner from Kate Nolan (Perth, Australia) and the Cannoneers carried that 1-0 lead into halftime.
Pratt seized control after the break. Nolan doubled the advantage in the 49th minute finishing a long ball over the top from Thomsen. Three minutes later, Alyssa Trujillo (Morrison, Colo.) made it 3-0, cleaning up a rebound from an Esme Falk (Oakland, Calif.) shot.
Immaculata pulled one back in the 65th minute through Gabby Palladino, but Pratt answered. Thomsen restored a three-goal cushion in the 76th, finishing a pass from Chloe Tien (Broomfield, Colo.). Palladino added her second in the 80th, and the Cannoneers managed the closing minutes behind Gaspari and a composed back line.
Thomsen and Nolan each took four shots, with Nolan adding a goal and an assist. Trujillo scored her eighth of the year, and Kanach tallied her fourth on the set-piece header. Falk and Tien each recorded an assist. Junior Emma Pratt (North Attleboro, Mass.) and sophomore Claire Hook (Portsmouth, R.I.) helped connect play in the attacking third.
Palladino led Immaculata with two goals on seven shots, while Gracie Repici and Sophia Mazzotta supplied assists. Goalkeeper Emily Guthier made four saves.
Pratt finished with 14 shots (eight on goal) to Immaculata's 17 (12 on goal). The Cannoneers improved to 6-4-2 overall, 2-2 in the Atlantic East moving into a tie for fourth place with Immaculata (3-8-1, 2-2), but now holding the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Macs.
The Cannoneers travel to Centenary on Wednesday, Oct. 22 for a 2 p.m. Atlantic East showdown.
