(Yonkers, NY) – After nearly two seasons of one devastating defeat after another, on Tuesday night it was time for the Yeshiva University Women's Soccer team to hand one out. Junior Odeliah Rosenberg (Paramus, NJ/Maayanot Yeshiva) scored the first hat-trick in YU history, and seven Maccabees found the back of the net as Yeshiva raced out to a 7-0 first half lead en route to a 9-0 win over the Polytechnic Institute of NYU for the first win in the history of the Yeshiva University Women's Soccer program. With the win, Yeshiva finishes the 2008 season with a 1-12 record.
A year after playing Polytechnic to a 0-0 tie for the first team point in YU history, the Maccabees left little doubt from the opening whistle that their first ever home game against the Fighting Blue Jays would bring with it a historic victory. Junior Atara Kanarfogel (Teaneck, NJ/Bruriah) netted her first career goal only nine minutes into the game to put Yeshiva on the board. The goal was Yeshiva's second score of the season, and fourth in the history of the program ... but it was only just the start for the Maccabees. Three minutes later, Rosenberg - who scored the first two goals in Yeshiva history a year ago - found the back of the net to make it 2-0. From there, Polytechnic rebounded a bit and even enjoyed a scoring opportunity of its own, but the night would prove to be Yeshiva's as later in the first half the Maccabees would explode to put the game away.
In the 24th minute, Rosenberg made it 3-0 with her second goal of the game, setting the YU record for goals scored in a game. Less than a minute later, junior Eve Partouche (Miami, FL/RASG Hebrew Academy) made it 4-0, marking the fastest two goals in Yeshiva history. Less than two minutes after Partouche's tally, Rosenberg found sophomore Noelle Forde (Houston, TX/Emery) with a beautiful pass, and Forde scored her first career goal to make it 5-0. Three minutes later, it was a 6-0 game as junior Sasha Zacharia (Newton, MA/Gann Academy) scored her first career goal off of a spectacular pass from Kanarfogel. The four goals in a six-minute span mark the fastest four goals in Yeshiva history. The Maccabees were not finished for the first half as YU took a 7-0 into the break when freshman Rochelle Friedman (Overland Park, Kansas/Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy) converted a penalty kick in the 41st minute.
The second half saw the Polytechnic defense tighten up as the Fighting Blue Jays allowed only nine Yeshiva shots, but the Maccabees tallied two more goals to expand their single-game goals record to nine. Rosenberg broke her record for goals in a game by scoring the first hat-trick in YU history after a breakaway in the 65th minute. 14 minutes later, YU tallied its final goal of the game when senior Leah Black (Rochester, NY/SKA) converted a penalty kick.
Overall, Yeshiva outshot Polytechnic 47-1, setting program records for most shots in a game and fewest shots allowed. Junior goalie Tamar Kram (Newton, MA/Maimonides) made one save and recorded her second career shutout, both against Polytechnic, and has not allowed a goal during her career against the Fighting Blue Jays. In addition, the Maccabees either established or broke more than three dozen individual, team, and season records with the win.
With their second season of varsity soccer under their belts, Yeshiva looks to next year as more than two dozen members of this year's team are expected to return as the Maccabees seek to continue its improvement and make strides within the Skyline Conference.
