Women's College Soccer
Boise State University 3, Rider University 1
Broncos Beat Broncs
ANNAPOLIS, MD-Rider lost the season opener to Boise State at the 10th Annual Navy Soccer Invitational Friday, hosted by the U. S. Naval Academy.
"With such a large freshman class, for our first game of the season, it was very promising," said Rider head coach Drayson Hounsome. "We competed well. We made a couple of freshman mistakes, but our ball movement was good and we responded well to situations in the game."
A pair of Rider rookies got the Broncs (0-1) on the board, as freshman Angela Lozupone (Rockville, Md./Good Counsel) took a crossing pass from freshman Alexis Coughlin (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Baldwinsville) and headed in her first collegiate goal to cut the Boise State (2-1) lead to 2-1 with 12 minutes left to play.
"We had a lot of freshmen on the field and they got some quality playing time," Hounsome said. "I think at one point we had seven freshmen on the field and they were able to raise the playing level and cut the lead to 2-1. At that point we had some good momentum."
A third Rider freshman, Angela Monaco (Holtsville, NY/Sachem), had two of Rider's four shots and one of Rider's two shots on goal, and a fourth Rider rookie, freshman Meghan Mohr (Holtsville, NY/Sachem), played all 90 minutes on defense. "Angela and Meghan played well," Hounsome said. "(Senior) Stacy Belgiovene (Toms River North) had a very solid game in the back. Defensively we did well."
A Boise State rookie, Erica Parks, scored three minutes later to give the Broncos a 3-1 lead. "As we pressed forward we made a mistake defensively and that allowed them to get their third goal," Hounsome said.
Boise State out-shot Rider 19-4, including 10-2 in the second half.
"It was disappointing to lose," Hounsome said, "because it wasn't a game we couldn't win, but there were a lot of bonuses from this first game."
Rider junior goalkeeper Alex Post (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks West), who ranked tenth in the nation in saves last year, made three saves Friday. "Alex played very well," Hounsome said. "She made two very big saves in the first half and did well on several crosses."
Freshman Jenn Nichols (Straham, N.H./Exeter) played the final 15 minutes in the Rider goal, allowing one goal while making one save. "We tried to get Jenn on the field for some good minutes and she did well," Hounsome said.
BSU senior Kaylea Perenon took a crossing pass from the right and scored from 25 yards out in the 21st minute of the game to give Boise State a 1-0 lead. "She one-timed it from about 25 yards out into the top corner so there wasn't much Alex could do on that one," Hounsome said.
Perenon fed freshman Maureen Fitzgerald with a pass at the six yard mark, who beat Post to the ball and shot into an open net to give BSU a 2-0 lead in the 56th minute of play. "It was a clear offside position and some of our defenders stopped playing, but the linesman did not call it and they were able to score," Hounsome said. "We have to learn as a team to continue to play through and not stop until we hear the whistle."
The BSU Broncos were 11-8-2 last season and this year lost 1-0 at Seattle before winning 3-1 at Portland State. "Considering who we were playing and that it was their third game of the season and just our first, it was okay," Hounsome said. "It was a promising first game."
Rider plays again Sunday at Navy's Glenn Warner Soccer Facility against Fairleigh Dickinson. Rider defeated FDU last year in Teaneck. "Last year was a real competitive game," Hounsome said, "and I'm sure it will be no different this year."
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