Women's College Soccer
Fairfield University 2, Rider University 1 (2 o.t.)
LAWRENCEVILLE?Although the game plan worked for 108 minutes, the Broncs lost in double overtime to the powerful Stags of Fairfield in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game Friday.
Fairfield (8-2-2, 1-0 MAAC) scored with just 1:26 left in the second overtime period to defeat Rider in a defensive battle. “We had our game plan, our strategy, and we knew that was our best chance to win,” said Rider head coach Drayson Hounsome. “It is unfortunate that the game ended as it did.”
Fairfield took a 1-0 lead in just the eighth minute of play on a 20-yard shot. “Even though we were losing it was good that we stuck to the strategy,” Hounsome said. “We were keeping it until the last 15 minutes of the game when we were going to release and attack.”
Rider (1-7-2, 0-1 MAAC) tied the score at 1-1 with just under 20 minutes remaining in regulation when junior Kate Murphy (Holland, Pa./Council Rock South) collected a loose ball and scored with her left foot from 10 yards out.
“It is something we run everyday in practice,” said Murphy, who scored her second goal of the season and the third of her Rider career. “I'm supposed to pick up the second ball. I was there and I put everything I could on it and it went right through her hands.”
“We get excited when we get a set piece, it helps the players believe that we can score many off of set pieces,” Hounsome said. “So any time we have one we're going to be dangerous.”
“I was psyched when it went in,” Murphy said. “Last year Fairfield embarrassed us (5-1), so to come out here and be tied with them at the end of regulation was big.”
Fairfield out-shot Rider 18-9, including 12-1 in the first half. Rider out-shot Fairfield 5-4 in the second half. “I think we take some hope, a lot of spirit from this game,” Hounsome said. “The game plan was to try to frustrate them, give them no space, and we did that.”
Rider sophomore goalkeeper Alex Post (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks West) made 10 saves. Post ranks 17th in the nation and first in the MAAC in saves per game.
Fairfield goalkeeper Kelly Boudreau made one save.
Fairfield and Rider have met 14 times since the series began in 1997, with Rider winning three, the last coming in 2004.
Rider hosts Iona in a MAAC contest Sunday at 1pm. “”We needed three points (three points for a MAAC win, one point for a MAAC tie) from these two games,” Hounsome said. “A point today would have been a bonus, but since we didn't get it we need three points Sunday.”
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