QU Women’s Soccer Falls at Rider, 2-1, in 2016 MAAC Opener

Saturday, September 17

Ben Cohen Field - Lawrenceville, NJ

1:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

4-3-1, 0-1MAAC

Rider

4-2-2, 1-0MAAC

Quinnipiac

Rider

QU Women’s Soccer Falls at Rider, 2-1, in 2016 MAAC Opener

9/17/2016 5:02:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: QU Sports Information

LAWRENCEVILLE, New Jersey – After staving off an early deficit, a late Rider goal proved to be the difference as the Quinnipiac women's soccer team fell to the Broncs, 2-1, from Ben Cohen Field on Saturday afternoon. The Bobcats fall to 4-3-1 overall (0-1 MAAC) on the season in the 2016 MAAC opener while Rider improves to 4-2-2 (1-0 MAAC).

In a classic battle of two contrasting styles, the back-and-forth play came as no surprise as Quinnipiac's high-powered offensive attack went up against the stingy defensive oriented Rider squad. Coming in averaging a MAAC-leading 2.29 goals per game, the Bobcats generated opportunities against the second-best defense in the conference (1.04 goals allowed per game) heading into play but Rider took advantage of a pair of defensive miscues to come away with the three points at home.

"Rider are one of the top three teams in the MAAC and a recent champion, so know how to win," said Quinnipiac head coach Dave Clarke of the 2014 MAAC Champions. "That upperclassman experience showed today. We did well to equalize at 1-1 and had three great chances to take the lead. We need to put those chances away. We let an experienced team back into the game. We created chances against a good team, so that is a positive.?"

The first five minutes was entirely one-sided and nearly 1-0 on the scoreboard as Nadya Gill (Toronto, Ontario) pressured the Rider back line and was fouled just outside the box. Gill correctly chose to take the ball quickly and flicked a pass to a wide open Sarah Pandolfi (North Haven, Connecticut). Lining up her shot from under 10 yards away, Pandolfi's high shot at the left post was met by the diving right hand glove of Rider's stalwart keeper Bethany-May Howard.

With that huge stop, the Broncs followed up with an impressive first half performance in which play was tipped heavily in favor of the home team. Heavy pressure was applied as the Broncs fired seven consecutive shots before the Bobcats next attempted one. Even with the pressure, the Bobcat back line held steady until a miscue in the 21^st minute where an errant pass landed on the foot of Caroline Healy who buried a wide open goal.

"I wasn't happy with the first half," Coach Clarke said. "We were on top, should have taken the lead and lost the initiative. When Rider scored we lost our way for a period. We changed things tactically and got back in the game with an excellent team goal. At 1-1, I honestly thought we would go on and win the game. Just wasn't meant to be."

That excellent team goal Coach Clarke referred to was an elite combination as Gill drove up the field with the ball starting at midfield. As the Rider back line continued to backpedal, Gill patiently waited until the left fullback committed and she found Ally Grunstein (Warren, New Jersey) with a through ball. Grunstein looked up and spotted Katrina Friedman (Syosset, New York) open at the opposite post. Needing to thread the needle between Howard and the defenders, Grunstein's pass was perfect as Friedman's sliding shot was rocketed bar-down to equalize the score, 1-1, in the 61^st minute.

The run of play continued to favor the Bobcats as two golden opportunities for Al Pelletier (Cheshire, Connecticut) nearly pushed Quinnipiac ahead. Waiting in front of the goal line, Pelletier didn't get enough of the ball as her swinging right-footed attempt from feet away hit off the side of her foot. Just minutes later, another unmarked shot from just inside the box sailed high over the crossbar and kept the score level.

Just when it looked like the Bobcats had seized complete control, Rider answered with the go-ahead and eventual game-winner in the 71^st minute. Michelle Iacono received a pass at the near side and nearly carried in across the end line but she managed to flick a lofted ball to the far post where Sofia Soares was waiting uncovered for the tally.
Rider's defense locked down in the final sequences and limited the Bobcats to two non-threatening shots-on-goal in the last desperate minutes of play.

For the match, shots were even 14-14 while Howard came up with seven saves to lead the way to victory. Making her first start since the season opener against Toledo back on Aug. 19, Olivia Myszewski (Elm Grove, Wisconsin) made four saves in the net for Quinnipiac.

The Bobcats will make full use of the six days between games as Quinnipiac will make the lengthy trip up to Niagara to take on the Purple Eagles at 1 PM on Saturday, Sept. 24. Niagara thoroughly dominated play last season and claimed a 4-0 win in Hamden in the last meeting between both teams