LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. — A strong second half from Merrimack proved to be the difference Saturday afternoon, as the Rider women's soccer team (2-6-4, 0-4-2 MAAC) fell 4-0 to the Warriors (4-6-2, 3-3-0 MAAC) on Ben Cohen Field.
Rider came out aggressive early, nearly striking first in the opening seconds. Off a free kick from
Ava DeGeorge,
Tess Ferrie rose in the box for a header that forced the Merrimack goalkeeper to make a leaping punch save to keep it scoreless.
The Warriors broke through in the 35th minute when Kellianne Caldwell found the back of the net, giving Merrimack a 1-0 advantage heading into halftime.
The Broncs were outshot 8-3 in the first half, including a 6-1 margin on goal.
In the 65th minute,
Ashley Moore came up big with a diving save to keep the deficit at one, but Merrimack doubled its lead five minutes later. After a Rider yellow card, Lilly Cook converted on a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box to make it 2-0.
Rider nearly answered moments later when
Taylor Mays fired a low shot on goal in the 71st minute, but the Warriors' keeper turned it aside.
Merrimack added two late tallies in the 84th and 89th minutes to secure the 4-0 result.
Quotes and Notes
"We showed we can compete for stretches, especially early on, but in the second half we let it slip away. Playing on Wednesday definitely took a toll — our legs were heavy. The message moving forward is simple: make sure we're giving everything we have. If we're doing that, then that's all we can ask for."
– Rider Head Coach Drayson Hounsome.
-
Ashley Moore set a new career high with 10 saves while
Ella Baumgardt,
Bethie Morgan,
Leah Marcell,
Ava Ferrie, and
Isis Ovares each went the full 90 minutes.
- The matchup marked just the second all-time meeting between Rider and Merrimack, evening the series at 1-1.
- Rider earned six corner kicks to Merrimack's four.
Broncs by the Numbers
- Merrimack held a 31-4 advantage in total shots, including a 14-2 margin on goal.
-
Tess Ferrie,
Lauren Black,
Ava Ferrie, and
Taylor Mays each registered a shot for the Broncs.
Up Next
Rider returns to action on Thursday, Oct. 10, traveling to Iona for a 3 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+.