Staff Report

The one time Oneonta State scored Sunday, it was waved off by a foul.

The University of Rochester got one over the line and it counted as the host Yellowjackets beat the Red Dragons, 1-0, in the second round of the NCAA Division III women’s soccer tournament.

The loss marks the earliest exit for Oneonta State since it was eliminated by the University of Chicago, 2-1, in double-overtime in the second round of the 2002 tournament. O-State won the national championship in 2003 and advanced to the quarterfinals in each of the last two seasons.

"They’re sad, they’re competitors. I’m sad," said O-State coach Tracey Ranieri, whose team finished the season 18-3-1. "For being as young as we are, I thought we could have gone further, but I know it will help us for next year."

The Yellowjackets (16-1-3) scored with 6 minutes, 20 seconds left in regulation. Laura Bojko’s corner kick to the near post found Emily Urbanczyk’s head, which redirected the pass inside the post from 4 yards.

"It was a great goal," said Ranieri, whose team defeated Rowan, 2-0, Saturday in a first-round game.

O-State’s best chances came on back-to-back plays in the first half.

Junior Mary Velan (Stamford), who took two of O-State’s four shots, found Sarah Begley free along the left wing. Begley cut toward the goal as Yellowjackets keeper Molly Leitch came out. Begley pushed the ball past Leitch and had an open goal, but defender Stephanie Klenotich came from behind to clear it over the end line.

On the ensuing corner kick, Calli Jo Sheldon (Unatego) served the ball into the box, where Velan headed it into the goal. Leitch drew a foul on the play, negating the goal.[an error occurred while processing this directive]

"I still don’t understand it," Ranieri said of the foul. "It was no different than any of the corners we had before."

Ranieri said the biggest difference Sunday was Rochester’s size. She said the Yellowjackets won the majority of balls in the air, which limited O-State’s time of possession.

"As a program we need to develop our physical strength to play a team like that," she said. "I don’t think we played 90 minutes with strength, and their strength just overpowered us."

Ranieri said Velan, who scored O-State’s goals against Rowan, was most affected by the Yellowjackets’ size.

"They just mauled her today," said Ranieri, whose team was outshot, 11-4. "They didn’t even let her get to the ball. It was like bumper pool."

O-State goalie Jeannine Marra made six saves, though Ranieri said she wasn’t tested that often as most of the Yellowjackets’ shots came from outside the penalty box. Leitch made no saves.

Velan scored both of her goals against Rowan late in the second half. Velan, who finished the season with a team-high 19 goals, scored from 10 yards on an assist from Corinne Tisei with 12 minutes left and followed with an unassisted goal from 25 yards with just under 10 minutes to play.

Rochester will play Messiah College (Pa.) in the third round.

Rochester 1, Oneonta 0

NCAA DIVISION III SECOND ROUND

Sunday at University of Rochester

Oneonta 0 0 _ 0

Rochester 0 1 _ 1

Oneonta State (18-3-1): None.

University of Rochester (16-1-3): Emily Urbanczyk 1-0, Laura Bojko 0-1.

Shots-corner kicks: O 4-1; R 11-7.

Goalies: Jeannine Marra (O) 6; Molly Leitch (R) 0, team 1.

Oneonta 2, Rowan 0

NCAA DIVISION III FIRST ROUND

Saturday at University of Rochester

Rowan 0 0 _ 0

Oneonta 0 2 _ 2

Rowan (13-4-2): None.

Oneonta (18-2-1): Mary Velan 2-0, Corinne Tisei 0-1.

Shots-corner kicks: R 7-2; O 7-8.

Goalies: Gabby Ditchey (R) 1; Jeannine Marra (O) 1.