Women's College Soccer
Rider University 1, Saint Francis University 1 (2 ot)
LORETTO, PA- Freshman Angela Lozupone (Rockville, Md./Good Counsel) scored with 22 minutes left in the second half to give Rider a 1-1 tie with Saint Francis. "We didn't win, but it was an okay result," said Rider head coach Drayson Hounsome.
"It was a desperation goal," Lozupone said. "I just got a body part on it."
Rider (3-4-1) evened the score at 1-1 when Lozupone, an outside right forward, took a pass from senior Natalie Sica (Marlton, N.J./Holy Cross) and scored through traffic. It was the second goal of the season for Lozupone.
"It was good to get that goal," Hounsome said, "on a through ball from Nat Sica. Angela pressured the keeper and got a touch on it to re-direct it past the keeper. It was a scrappy goal but they all count."
"I played defense my senior year at Good Counsel," remembered Lozupone, who is now second on the Rider team in goals, "and I scored sometimes, but mainly I concentrated on defense."
SFU (2-3-1) took a 1-0 lead just 2:32 into the game on a corner kick. "It was disappointing to give up a goal in the first few minutes," Hounsome said, "especially on a corner, but give them credit, they actually executed the corner quite well. We pride ourselves on not giving up goals on set pieces, and that was the first time that has happened since last year."
Trailing 1-0 at the half, Coach Hounsome made a strategic change at halftime. "We switched the formation up for the second half,' Hounsome said. "We have been struggling with teams lately who play this style. When we switched formations we put freshman Kate Stevens (Deddington, England/Chenderit) at a holding midfielder, and she did a nice job in that role."
"After we gave up the goal we were able to respond and get back in it and that was a real plus," Hounsome said. "We responded well. We moved the ball well."
Freshman Jenn Nichols (Stratham, N.H./Exeter) made her first collegiate start in the Rider nets and recorded eight saves. "Jenn did well," Hounsome said. "Everything she needed to do she did well," Hounsome said. "It was good to see her perform like that."
St. Francis out-shot Rider 19-12, although Rider had four corner kicks to St. Francis' two. Both teams had nine shots on goal. "They are a hard team to play against but we controlled more of the ball movement, more of the possession, which was pleasing," Hounsome said.
It was Rider's first overtime game of the season. "All of the freshmen experienced overtime today for the first time," Hounsome said, "so that was another good, learning experience from this game. (Freshman) Meghan Mohr (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem) had a very strong game at right back for us."
Rider and Saint Francis have never met before in women's soccer.
Rider returns home to host Wagner Tuesday at 4pm. It will be the second installment of Code Cranberry, where all of the varsity athletes gather to support one of Rider's 20 teams. "It will be Code Cranberry, so we're excited about that," Hounsome said. "We look forward to have a big crowd. It will be good to be back at home, where we have had two good performances. Hopefully we'll have a good result like our first two home games."
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