The Emory University Women's Soccer Team, ranked seventh in Division III, picked up a 2-1 win over conference-rival New York University at the Woodruff Physical Education Center on Friday night to move into second place in the University Athletic Association (UAA) standings.
The win was the second-straight in UAA play for Emory, as the squad improved to 2-1-0 in conference action this season. Three games into the conference schedule, the Eagles have six points in UAA matches, and now sit three behind front-running Washington University (Mo.) and two ahead of Brandeis, Carnegie Mellon and Chicago.
Overall, Emory improved to 9-3-1 for the season, with victories in seven of its last eight matches. NYU dropped to 6-4-3 for the season, and to 0-1-2 in conference matches.
The first half proved to be an offensive-centered one, with the Eagles reaching halftime with a 2-1 lead. Emory got on the board very early in the game, as senior captain Kelly Costopoulos scored the opening goal of the contest in the second minute of action. After junior Charlotte Butker took a shot off the post, Costopoulos was able to corral the rebound and finish with a shot into the back of the net for her team-leading fourth goal of the season. Butker picked up her second assist of the year on the play.
NYU would respond in the 12th minute, evening the score on Melissa Menta's fifth goal of the season, after the forward placed a shot past Emory keeper Liz Arnold on a one-on-one opportunity.
The score remained deadlocked at a goal apiece until the 31st minute, when Emory outside back Lauren Drosick took matters into her own hands. The senior took the ball at midfield drove up the center of the field on an incredible run into the 18-yard box, going through a pair of defenders before launching a far-post shot into the goal. The unassisted goal was the first of her career.
After the flourish of goals in the first 45 minutes, the 2-1 lead would prove to hold until the end of the match. Emory's defense would lock down the second frame, holding the Violets without a shot, while Emory rallied off nine of its own, including three on goal. Emory finished the game with a 24-3 advantage in total shots including an 8-3 edge in shots on goal.
Emory will wrap-up its UAA home weekend on Sunday, when it plays host to Brandeis University at 1:30 PM at the Woodruff P.E. Center.