Box Score Women's College Soccer NCAA Tournament
University of Washington 1, Rider University 0
SEATTLE, WA—All good things must come to an end.
The most productive season in the 18-year history of the Rider University women's soccer program ended late Friday night in the first round of the NCAA Championship tournament.
“I thought we gave a good showing,” said Rider head coach Drayson Hounsome. “It was disappointing that we couldn't go at them at full strength.”
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year, junior Tara Ballay (Delran, NJ/Delran), who led the league in scoring despite missing the final five games of the regular season with a broken leg, was only able to play 25 minutes Friday night due to her injury. “She showed a lot of courage and a lot of heart. I think she did the conference proud, herself proud and the program proud,” Hounsome said.
Washington (13-6-2), the fourth seed in the Regional, scored in the 16th minute of play for the only goal the Broncs would allow.
Rider sophomore goalkeeper Bethany-May Howard (Glastonbury, England/Bridgwater College) made eight saves, many spectacular. “Beth played really, really well,” Hounsome said. “She made a couple of top class saves. She was outstanding.”
Washington, of the powerful Pac 12, out-shot Rider (12-6-3) 21-3.
Rider won it's first-ever MAAC championship tournament this year to qualify for it's first-ever NCAA tournament.
The NCAA tournament game was the final Rider game for senior Becca Kape (Westfield, NJ/Westfield), senior Katrina Seidenthal (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep), senior Kristen Clarke (Mastic, NY/Eastport South Manor) and senior Daisy Allen (Portsmouth, England/Bristol Academy).
Kape earned Second Team All-MAAC and MAAC All-Tournament team honors this year, as well as MAAC All-Academic team honors. “Kape was outstanding tonight,” Hounsome said. Clarke played in 20 games this year, starting seven. “Kristen was absolutely immense tonight,” Hounsome said. Seidenthal is a veteran of 59 games, and Allen scored on a penalty kick in the overtime MAAC Championship Game to help Rider advance to the NCAAs. “Katrina and Daisy set the platform for this young team to go on and do something extraordinary next year.”
The Broncs return nine starters and 17 letterwinners for the 2015 season. “Hopefully this can be a springboard for the team and the program to continue, and now the focus will be on to win an NCAA game next year,” Hounsome said.
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