Rochester Shuts Out QND to Capture Regional Championship

The Rochester Rockets made the long trip to Quincy on May 22 looking to take down a tough Quincy Notre Dame Raiders squad in the Regional Championship and earn a spot back home for sectional play. After a hard-fought first half, Rochester pulled away in the second half to secure a 2-0 victory and continue its postseason run.

The opening 40 minutes were tightly contested as both teams created quality opportunities offensively. Rochester’s defensive unit stood tall throughout the match, led by center backs Abby Mehring and Myra Gibson, who worked together flawlessly to keep the Raiders off the scoreboard. Their communication and positioning helped limit dangerous chances and kept momentum on the Rockets’ side.

Rochester came out of halftime with energy and aggression. With 35 minutes remaining, Mary Jane Keller took possession near midfield and sliced through multiple defenders before delivering a perfect ball toward the back post where Charli Lowder finished it into the net to give the Rockets a 1-0 advantage.

Ten minutes later, Rochester capitalized again. Off a corner kick, the ball was delivered perfectly to Keller, who buried it into the back of the net to extend the lead to 2-0.

From there, Rochester locked in defensively and never allowed QND to seriously threaten the goal. Goalkeeper Grace Webb came up with several outstanding saves and controlled the box throughout the night to preserve the shutout victory.

With the win, Rochester advances to the sectional semifinal Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the Rochester Sectional, where the Rockets will face Williamsville Bullets. Rochester defeated Williamsville 1-0 earlier this season in regular season play.