Women's College Soccer
Rider University 1, College of the Holy Cross 1 (2ot)
LAWRENCEVILLE-Rider saw its program-best five-game winning streak come to an end with a tie. "It felt a little bit like a loss, really," said Rider head coach Drayson Hounsome.
The Broncs and the visiting Crusaders played to a 1-1 tie Sunday on Ben Cohen Field.
Rider out-shot Holy Cross 19-8, including 4-1 in overtime and 8-0 in the first half.
"It was one of those days when we had some great chances and we put them over the top from five yards out, we hit the post in overtime," Hounsome said, "so we had good chances and we did everything we can to win. Sometimes the game doesn't go for you."
Rider (7-2-2) scored with five minutes left in the first half when junior Claire Thompson (East Greenwich, R.I./E. Greenwich) took a pass from junior Abi Cottam (Leominster, England/Ludlow) and scored her first goal of the season and the sixth of her career.
"That run was open most of the game," Thompson said. "Abi took them on as she always does and timed the pass perfectly to me as I was on the run. I saw a defender coming from the left side and I couldn't go far side so I went near side and caught the goalkeeper off guard."
"Claire is a wide-midfielder, not a center midfielder," Hounsome said, "but we don't play with wide-midfielders. We don't play a 4-4-2, which is how she has always played. It takes time to get a new position but she is doing a much better job at it. She's a hard worker who puts a lot of effort into it. She's doing a really good job of keeping possession of the ball."
"I feel I have been more consistent this year," Thompson said. "I struggled with that my first two years. This year I am finally settling into my role and I've found my style of play again."
Holy Cross (2-6-2) tied the score just 6:08 into the second half.
Cottam now has seven assists on the season. She entered the weekend ranked 22nd in the nation in assists.
Rider freshman goalkeeper Danielle Singson (Deer Park, NY/St. Anthony's) played the first half and did not have to make a save, as Rider led 1-0 at intermission. Junior goalkeeper Jenn Nichols (Stratham, N.H./Exeter) played the second half and overtime and made four saves.
The Broncs and Crusaders split their first two meetings, with Rider winning 1-0 in 2002 and Holy Cross winning 2-1 in overtime last year in Worcester, Mass. Holy Cross tied Vermont Friday night.
Rider finished the non-conference portion of the schedule with the best non-conference record in team history. "I'm very pleased with how the first half of the season has gone," Hounsome said. "We've been challenged, we have risen to the challenges, we've come back, we've held on. All the things you would want to experience in the non-conference games, they have done."
Rider begins conference play October 1 when the Broncs travel to Loyola for their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game of the season. "Loyola has a lot of good players, as always, so it is going to be a tough game," Hounsome said of his trip to Baltimore next weekend. "They are traditionally the powerhouse in the conference. I think we are ready for conference play."
"The non-conference schedule was awesome," Thompson said. "We feel strongly on how we did. We're all excited about conference. We're confident in our play."
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