By ADMIR DURAKOVIC
Staff Writer
(TEANECK) – The women’s soccer team put on an impressive display in a 4-0 with against the Wagner Seahawks. The Knights outshot the Seahawks 19 to 7 over both periods. The result improved the team’s overall record to 4-7-1, as they continued their good NEC campaign start with a 2-0 record. The Wagner Seahawks’ overall record fell to 3-6-4 and their NEC record fell to 0-1-1.
The game started o as a closely contested back and forth a air with both teams creating solid opportunities. Within the first minute, sophomore FDU mid elder Stasi Torchia played teammate and senior mid elder Jessi Reinhardt through on goal, whose early shot was saved by Wagner sophomore goalkeeper Delaney Beck.
The Seahawks created a chance of their own only a minute later, with freshman forward Mya Donnelly ring a shot from within the 18- yard box, but it was blocked by FDU sophomore defender Jackson Bennett.
Fifteen minutes into the first half, FDU sophomore mid elder/forward Daria Jones won the ball back in her defensive third and managed to carry it up eld into the opposition’s third before laying the ball o to Reinhardt, who red her shot over the bar.
It didn’t take long for Wagner to respond. Only two minutes later the Seahawks came close to breaking the deadlock and swinging the match in their favor. A deep free kick launched into the FDU 18-yard box was met by a header from Seahawks junior mid elder Maria D’Amico, forcing a diving save from FDU sophomore goalkeeper Amanda Fitzgerald. She managed to react quickly for the block and push the ball against the frame of the goal.
FDU managed to open the scoring and take control of the match 18 minutes into the game when a corner kick taken by Reinhardt found freshman forward/ mid elder So a Albertsson, who headed home her sixth goal of the season. The goal was the second time in two games Albertsson had scored a header off of a cross from teammate Reinhardt.
The Knights continued to apply pressure with mid elders Torchia and Jones each forcing a save from the Seahawks keeper. Reinhardt managed to score 26 minutes into the first half with an effort worthy of being the goal of the season. She got the fans out of their seats when she picked up the ball after a Wagner defender mistakingly passed it to her 35 yards away from the Seahawks’ goal. Reinhardt saw the Wagner goalkeeper o of her line and red a long range shot over the backpedaling keeper who could only help the ball over the line. The long- range effort was Reinhardt’s second goal of the season and solidi ed FDU’s control over the match.
FDU freshman defender also Chole Chefero managed to get the fans out of their seats. A fake pass within her own half sent her marker tumbling backwards and falling, causing the fans in the stands to jump and cheer.
“I wasn’t really happy with our first half,” said Knights Head Coach Eric Teepe. “I felt we were a little bit sluggish. I think we got that first chance early and we felt it was gonna be an easy game.
“We talked at halftime, that if we gave up (a goal), they hit the hit the post, if they go up one-nothing this is a different game,” he said. “In the second half we came out ready to play, I think that’s a good sign.”
The Knights picked up the second half from where they left o in the first half, creating chances and controlling the mid eld. Four minutes into the second half, freshman forward Viktorija Miseljic gave FDU the start head coach Eric Teepe was asking for at halftime. Jones slipped her through the middle and Miseljic was able to slot the ball past the keeper for her fourth goal of the season.
The game was killed off after the Knights scored their fourth goal of the match when Chefero scored after Jones’ second assist of the match. Jones had the ball inside the Seahawks’ box who laid it o to Chefero who turned her defender then slotted home her first goal of the season.
The Knights went on a seven-game winless streak in September that was snapped against CCSU on Sept. 29. The Knights continued their turnaround in the win against Wagner.
Coach Teepe commented on the team’s recent good form.
“We’re getting a little bit healthier, we had a very tough out of conference schedule, so I think that had a little something to do with it,” he said. “And at the same time I think they’re beginning to get used to each other a little bit, getting a little bit better. I think it was coming because even in games that we were losing, I felt we played really well. We’ve been good the last five (or) six games, we just didn’t get the results in the other ones.”
