Women's College Soccer
Rider University 2, Fairleigh Dickinson University 0
TEANECK?The Broncs used two first half goals and made the most of their shots to give new head coach Drayson Hounsome his first Rider victory. “I'm very proud of the way the ladies played,” Hounsome said. “We played to our strengths and executed our game plan, which was pleasing.”
Junior Kate Murphy (Holland, Pa./Council Rock South) took a free kick from sophomore Lauren Musumeci (Annandale, N.J./North Hunterdon) and scored in the 22nd minute to give Rider a 1-0 lead. “We executed on a free kick that we must have done 300 times in practice,” Hounsome said. “That was a great ball in from ?Moose' on the free kick and Kate aggressively attacked the space and managed to get the ball in.”
“That was my first goal since freshman year,” Murphy said, “and it was scored in a similar way, so I guess this is how I'm going to score. ?Moose' had a really nice free kick from about 10 yards in from the half and I was about two or three steps in from the near post. I was so happy. We haven't played with a lead.”
Rider sophomore goalkeeper Alex Post (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks West) made 13 saves for the shutout, her third. Post has made 29 saves in her last two games and ranks second in the MAAC in saves. “Alex deserved the shutout today,” Hounsome said. “She played well once again.”
“Another busy day but we came away with a win so I don't mind,” said Post, who now has 48 saves in five games this season. “It was important that we get that first win for Coach, who has always had winning teams. We really wanted to get him his first win at Rider.”
Freshman Jordan Bunch (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) collected a rebound and headed the ball just under the crossbar to give Rider a 2-0 lead with 12 minutes left in the first half. The goal was the team-high second of the season for Bunch.
Senior Kayla Devlin (Clifton, N.J./Clifton), a veteran of 57 Rider games, started for the first time this season and made the most of it. “Kayla was the player of the match,” Hounsome said. “She slid and kept a ball from going out of play that she had no business getting and brought it back into play. She hit it off the crossbar and Jordan headed it in.”
Rider (1-3-1) was out-shot 22-8, but all eight of the Broncs' shots were on goal. 15 of FDU's shots were on goal. “We went into the game with the mentality that we had to find a way to win,” Hounsome said. “They could have 50 shots and we have two, but we better make sure we won the game.”
The victory ended FDU's (3-2) three-game winning streak and ended Rider's three-game streak of 1-0 losses. “We're sick of losing,” Murphy said. “It was nice to get that first win for Coach but we also needed a win.”
Rider ended last season with seven straight losses. The last time Rider won was October 9, 2007.
Rider beat FDU in 2000, the only time these two teams have met.
Rider travels to Northern Colorado to take on the host Bears Friday and North Florida Sunday.
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