Bobcats Tame Panthers on the Road

Albany, NY ~ The opening game of the 2025 Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) season for the Paul Smith's College women's soccer team was a back-and-forth battle with league rival Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences on Tuesday night, with the visiting Bobcats taking the victory after a beautiful goal in the 75th minute.

"This was a fun game to watch!" noted head coach Kelvey McGinnis.  "We have been doing a lot of work both on and off the field as a team and it's really starting to show.  I told them to go out and have fun and that's exactly what they did!"

Both teams had chances in the first half, but neither were able to break the stalemate.  The Bobcats seemed to maintain the pressure and gained an advantage in the second half, as the pace of play quickened and the pitch opened.

With just 15 minutes left, senior forward Matti Swan (Schenectady, NY) gathered a beautiful over-the-top pass from first-year midfielder Lilyanna Barnes (Otego, NY).  With one quick touch and a glimpse at the Panther keeper playing out just a bit too far, last year's United States Collegiate Athletic Assiciation (USCAA) All American Honorable Mention chipped the ball over the goalie and into the back of the net to put the Bobcats up 1-0.

"After a long 70 minutes of high intensity play, Barnes and I were able to connect," said Swan.  "It felt super rewarding since we were working hard for that moment and never let up.  Our communication was on point and I'm very proud of the way my team played!" she added. 

The defense held firm as PSC goalkeeper Peyton Hoffman (Ilion, NY) earned her second shutout of the season.  Since the start of the 2023 season, Hoffman has started every game for the Bobcats, recording 18 wins with an impressive 14 of them being shutouts.

"First game on turf, our team came with full ambition; we came to win," said Hoffman.  "Carley Simmons organized the back line diligently, drawing Panthers offside.  The win set a positive tone for future matches," added Hoffman.

The Bobcats sit at 2-1, and host Vermont State University at Randolph next Wednesday, September 17th at 5pm at the PSC Soccer Field.

You can follow the women's soccer team on Instagram at @paulsmiths_wsoccer or follow the general athletics account at @smitty_nation for scores, highlights, pictures, and much more!

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At Paul Smith's College, it's about the experience. As the only four-year institution of higher education located in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, Paul Smith's provides real-world, hands-on learning in fields such as business and hospitality, culinary management, forestry, environmental sciences, and natural resources. We can draw on industries and resources available in our backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. Our community of resourceful, enterprising, supportive, and adventurous individuals collectively provides experiential education, student support in the classroom and beyond, and meaningful opportunities for our alumni. We pride ourselves on research and advocacy on issues that improve our planet and the lives of the people who inhabit it. Learn more at www.paulsmiths.edu.