Report by Kevin Kyle, game day photos by Jason Ortiz
Although only three goals were scored over nearly 100 minutes of play Tuesday night at Rochester Community & Technical College in Rochester, MN, the USL W Central Conference Heartland Division soccer match between visiting Sioux Falls City and Rochester FC was a highlight reel from start to finish.
And the finish… what a finish!
One minute into a 10-minute stoppage period SFCFC’s Avery Korsching capped the scoring by capping a fluid play originating from City goalkeeper Iyan Hernandez.
Hernandez played the ball out of the back, City moved it through the midfield to Katharina Oelschlaeger, who sent a precision long ball to a sprinting Korsching. The Grimes, IA native collected the pass, pushed the ball to her right foot as she entered the box and struck it with venom across the goal and past RFC goalkeeper Isabella Hollenbach to lift City to a 2-1 victory. 
With the win, SFCFC improve to 6-1-3 (19 pts.) on the season with two matches remining.
Korsching, who entered the fray in the second half, gave notice she was in it to win it. A minute prior to her game-winning effort she let a left-footed shot loose from the same area. Unfortunately for the visitors, the bend on the shot wasn’t sufficient and the ball sailed just wide of the left angle.
Both Hollenbach and Hernandez demonstrated their skill in goal throughout the match. Each had plenty of solid saves and their play had profound effect on the match. The latter’s late challenge on City striker Hailee Christensen in the 60th minute resulted in a SFCFC penalty and the first goal of the game.
Ivory Coast native Nadja Meite delivered the final pass a stellar combination through the midfield to set up Christensen’s rush on goal. Christensen pushed the ball past Hollenbach, who tripped up the City striker. Meite took the spot kick calmly and smoothly – depositing the ball into the same corner Korsching would tally the game winner 30 minutes on for a 1-0 City advantage.
It wasn’t long, however, before the hosts would knot the equalizer. RFC midfielder Rachel Jackson, who would later be assisted off the field after a bloody clash of heads with Meite, delivered a warning with a sharp 25-yard drive that just eluded Hernandez and the inside of the left post on 66 minutes. And despite SFCFC having back-to-back corner kicks four minutes later, it was RFC that located the net in the 73rd.
A well worked combination of passes on the counterattack down the left yielded an opening in the City defense… from fullback Zernia Morkovic to winger Savannah Frisby to attacking midfielder Ana Recarte-Pacheco SFCFC simply couldn’t get a foot on the ball to clear the area. Recarte-Pacheco seized the opportunity, turning inside from the left side to drive the ball high past Hernandez to the right side – knotting the score at 1-all.
The match was certainly a departure from the teams’ second meeting June 11 in Sioux Falls, when City ran roughshod over RFC, 3-0, in a weather-shortened match at Bob Young Field. Although City was on the front foot and playing well throughout, RFC had little in the way of answers behind a side that was missing a few key players.
Tuesday night was different all around, as the return of center back Jessica Dodd and solid play from defensive partner Mariana Brito bolstered RFC’s confidence. Though the sides had equal opportunity to score in the opening frame, RFC perhaps had the best – coming in the 35th minute of play.
Frisby, alone on the left wing, ran onto Brito’s long ball out of the back toward a one-on-one encounter with Hernandez. The City goalkeeper was equal to the task, getting low and ‘big’ in smothering Frisby’s shot to keep the match scoreless.
City’s best chance of the scoreless first half again came from dazzling combination play through the midfield. Starting striker Keyera Harmon located midfielder Mia Bosch, who slipped a sneaky through pass to Meite just left of center. The crafty Meite managed to dribble by an outstretched Hollenbach to the keeper’s right, but the move pushed the ball to a difficult angle, and RFC breathed a sigh of relief as Meite’s attempt hit the side netting.
RFC’s counterattack and press nearly paid dividends early in the second half. Hernandez was caught out of goal in the 50th minute, only to see a lengthy shot sail over the cross bar, and Jackson’s swift cross-goal drive, seemingly destined for the left angle, was acrobatically parried away at the last second just two minutes later.
In all, those in attendance were treated to a thrilling match full of athleticism and outstanding combination play.
City will return to Sioux Falls for a pair of Heartland Division tilts against RKC Third Coast and River Light, Friday and Sunday nights, respectively.
The RKC match will be the first time City have faced the Wisconsin-based side, as Third Coast forfeited the first scheduled fixture, while River Light is the only other team to defeat City this season besides Aurora FC – beating City 3-0 in SFCFC’s season opener on the road.
Kickoff for Friday’s match is 6 p.m. at Bob Young Field, while Sunday’s contest will begin at 5 p.m.
This is OUR City!
Sioux Falls City 0 2 – 2
Rochester FC 0 1 – 1