Women's College Soccer
Rider University 2, Lafayette College 2 (2 o.t.)
LAWRENCEVILLE?The Broncs tied Lafayette Tuesday in the 2008 season opener for both teams. The game was the Rider debut for new Head Coach Drayson Hounsome. “I was happy with the way we played but disappointed with the result,” Hounsome said.
Rider freshman Jordan Bunch (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) made her collegiate debut a memorable one, stealing a ball and scoring 8:55 into the game to tie the score at 1-1.
“It was good to have Jordan score in her first game,” Hounsome said. “That's always a good confidence builder. I think we'll see more and more good things from her.”
Bunch scored quite a few goals like that as a Second Team All-State selection at Jackson Memorial. “I was putting pressure on the defense, she broke and I had an open shot,” Jackson remembered.
Sophomore Lauren Musumeci (Annandale, N.J./North Hunterdon), the leading scorer on the 2007 Rider squad, hit the cross bar with one of her game-high eight shots, but gathered her own rebound and scored to give Rider (0-0-1) a 2-1 lead 20 minutes into the game.
“I drove toward the center of their defense and took a shot at about the 25 that hit the cross bar,” Musumeci said. “It seemed to bounce right back to my foot, so I took a touch and it went in. I was pumped when it went in. Being opening day everyone was pumped up. After being down 1-0 and taking a 2-1 lead, it was exciting.”
“If anyone is going to score it is going to be “Moose” so we need to get her the ball more,” Hounsome said. “We need her to have that mentality that she is our go-to player. When we are looking for someone to put the ball in the back of the net, she's the one we want and she did it. When she was less confident maybe she would have passed once she collected the rebound.”
“You have to shoot more,” Musumeci said, “it isn't going to go in if you don't shoot. I'm just going to keep taking them and hopefully more will go in.”
Lafayette (0-0-1) came back to tie the score at 2-2 15 minutes into the second half. “We showed great character by responding the way we did,” Hounsome said. “That was one of the things we focused on in preseason, how to respond when we concede a goal. Giving up a goal in the first minute and coming back and taking a 2-1 lead showed real good character.”
Rider out-shot Lafayette 15-14, including 2-1 in overtime. “I think we had more of the ball significantly in the overtime periods,” Hounsome said. “Obviously we were in good shape.”
Rider sophomore goal keeper Alex Post (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks West) made four saves, while Hannah Fink made five saves for the Leopards. Both teams had five corner kicks.
“The goals we conceded were not necessarily great goals, they were mistakes that we can correct,” Hounsome said. “Hopefully we can make those corrections, put some more of those opportunities in, and turn a 2-2 tie into a victory.”
The Broncs travel to Drexel Friday night and are home again Sunday, August 31, hosting Monmouth at 1pm.
The Broncs won the 2007 season opener against George Mason. Rider also won the season opener in 2004 and 2001.
Rider is now 1-5-2 against Lafayette since the series began in 1997. Rider won in 1998. Lafayette won in 2002. The teams tied in 2003 in the last meeting before Tuesday.
“I thought we played well as a team,” Hounsome said. “The front three caused some problems, the middle three did their job of competing and battling, and the back unit was there. As a whole I thought we looked strong. The way we played, I am happy with, the result, disappointed.”
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