Colleges: Soesemann leads Lions rally to victory

Playing through a bruised thigh she suffered in the first minute of the game, Pia Soesemann scored twice in the second half to lead Saint Leo a 4-2 victory against Lynn on Friday evening.

With the game tied 2-2 after Sara Macko and Hannah Beard had each scored to negate a pair of leads taken by the Fighting Knights, Soesemann gave the Lions their first lead of the game in the 81st minute. Picking up a pass from Kelli Jones neat the halfway line, Soesemann raced down the flank, cut inside, beat her defender and scored.

Soesemann then gave the Lions some breathing room five minutes later. Chrissy Darwell began the move, taking the ball down the touchline before she slipped it to Beard inside the penalty area. Beard created space for herself, and found Soesemann, who had timed her run into the penalty area to strike home a first-time shot into the net.

The goal was Soesemann’s sixth of the season, and she trails only Beard, whose goal was her 10th of the season. The victory evened the Spartans Sunshine State Conference record, and they will now look to move above .500 on Tuesday as they travel to face Barry.