HAMDEN, CT - Toledo surrendered a late goal to drop its season opener at Quinnipiac, 2-1, on Friday at the QU Soccer Field.

Redshirt freshman Kelsey Kraft tied the score at 1-1 in the 70th minute on a header in her first collegiate contest. Classmate Shelby Gillespie was credited with the assist, as she crossed the ball from the right wing to Kraft on the left side of the goal box. 

But Quinnipiac came back with the deciding goal in the 82nd minute when Alex Pelletier took a long pass down the middle of the field and snuck the ball just inside the right post to give the home team the victory. 

The teams played a scoreless first half, but Toledo threatened when sophomore Natalie Knauf ripped a shot from outside the box that sailed just over the crossbar. Early in the second half, senior Kiersten Johnson free in the 53rd minute of play and ripped a shot that was stopped by QU goalie Olivia Myszewski. Johnson led the visitors with seven shots. The Rockets outshot the Bobcats, 7-6, in the first half, but the Midnight Blue & Gold was outshot in the second frame, 7-5.

A little over five minutes later, Quinnipiac (1-0-0) had a goal called back on an offside call. Unfortunately for Toledo, the home team stayed aggressive in the attack and scored off a rebound off the right post by Nadya Gill less than one minute after that to score the game's first goal. Toledo came back when the 5-foot-4 Kraft headed the cross from Gillespie into the back of the net to knot the match at 1-1. The score remained deadlocked until Pelletier's game-winner with less than nine minutes left.

Toledo stayed in the match thanks thanks to a pair of great saves by sophomore goalkeeper Katie Wilson. The second-year Rocket finished with four stops.

"It was good to see our team fight back to tie the game after being down," said Toledo head coach TJ Buchholz. "Quinnipiac played a great match today, We will regroup and get ready for a strong Wagner team on Sunday."

The Rockets travel to Staten Island, NY where they play the Seahawks in a 2:00 p.m. ciontest.

Quinnipiac 2, Toledo 1

QU: Nadya Gill (Unassisted), 57:49
UT: Kelsey Kraft (Shelby Gillespie), 69:17
QU: Alex Pelletier (Madison Borowiec), 81:31

SHOTS: UT 12, QU 13
CORNER KICKS: UT 3, QU 4
SAVES: UT 4, QU 7