ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y – The Bard College women's soccer team fell short off a comeback against William Paterson at Ferrari Field on Friday afternoon. 

In a hard-fought battle, Bard held their own against an aggressive William Paterson team. Goalkeeper McKenna Reeves had some stellar saves, posting a career-high 10 saves, including a stunning point-blank stop in the second half to keep the game within reach.

The game began with both teams struggling to find their rhythm. The Pioneers slowly built momentum, testing the Raptors defense, which held firm through a series of early attacks. Reeves made three crucial saves, keeping the Raptors in the game. However, a well-timed breakaway from William Paterson's Julia Fiorito in the 30th minute broke the deadlock, giving the Pioneers a 1-0 lead heading to the half. 

Determined to fight back, the Raptors came out of halftime with renewed energy, ramping up their offensive pressure. Georgia McCauley, Carina Cooke, Mahlia Slaiby, Annika Hoglund and Alexandria Loner led the charge, launching a total of five shots in the second half, improving from the three in the first. Despite several close attempts, Bard couldn't find the back of the net.

On the defensive side, Bard's backline, anchored by Senowa Leverentz, Camila Sandaal, Loner, and Natalie Wing, stood strong. They frustrated the Pioneers, forcing them to battle for every possession. 

Today's game was dedicated to the Morgan's Message foundation, and the team had a hit the crossbar challenge at halftime, as well as a raffle. 

Despite the loss, Bard showed resilience and will look to bounce back when they head to Vassar in their Liberty League opener on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.