Box Score Women's College Soccer
Fairleigh Dickinson University 2, Rider University 1 (ot)
TEANECK, NJ— There have been many famous battles in New Jersey. The Battle of Trenton, The Battle of Monmouth, The Battle of Princeton.
On Thursday night, another battle took place in the Garden State, between two defending champions.
The Rider University women's soccer team, the defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Champion, and Fairleigh Dickinson University, the defending Northeast Conference regular season Champion, went into overtime before the Knights won the battle.
“FDU looked very strong,” said Rider head coach Drayson Hounsome. “They looked like NEC Champions with a big senior class. They moved the ball very well. They were the stronger team, no question.”
FDU scored in the 106th minute to break a 1-1 tie. The goal was from 27 yards out from the left side into the top right corner of the net. “Disappointing to lose with three minutes left to go,” Hounsome said.
Rider senior Tara Ballay (Delran, NJ/Delran) scored on an assist from sophomore Ellie Smith (Norwich, England/Norwich City) with less than two minutes left in the second half to tie the score at 1-1. “We thought we were going to get away with a tie,” Hounsome said. “I thought we showed really good character to pull the game back with three minutes to go.”
FDU (1-1) took a 1-0 lead with 31 minutes left in the second half.
The Knights out-shot Rider (1-1) 28-5, including 7-0 in overtime, and 17-3 in shots on goal.
Rider junior goalkeeper Bethany-May Howard (Glastonbury, England/Bridgwater College) made a career-high 15 saves, many at point-blank range. “Beth was phenomenal,” Hounsome said. “She played really well. With Beth in goal we are always going to be in the game.”
Last season Rider also lost in overtime to FDU, with Ballay scoring twice. “I think Tara has scored every year against FDU,” Hounsome said.
Rider and FDU have met nine times since the series began in 2000 with the Knights holding a 5-3-1 advantage. Rider last defeated FDU in 2012.
Rider travels to Temple September 1. Temple defeated FDU in the season opener and defeated Rider last year. “They defeated us 3-0 last year,” Hounsome said, “so it will be a very tough game.”
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