Women’s Soccer Opens MAAC Play With 2-2 Tie

September 22, 2014

The Marist women’s soccer team opened Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play on Sunday with a 2-2 tie at Rider.

Sophomore Shannon Leonard (East Greenwich, R.I.) scored her first career goal for the Red Foxes, and had three shots on goal tie to freshman Brianna Robinson (Jackson, N.J.) for the team high. Freshman goalkeeper Ashley Houghton (Danbury, Conn.) had six saves.

Marist got on the scoreboard first by virtue of an own goal in the seventh minute. The Red Foxes held a 1-0 lead until the 64^th minute until a goal from Rider’s Hollie Kelsh tied the score.

In the 71^st minute, Marist took a 2-1 lead on Leonard’s goal from in close, which was set up by sophomore Ashlee Burke (East Northport, N.Y.). However, Rider answered just over four minutes later when Tara Ballay scored off a cross from Ellie Smith.

Marist held a 19-15 edge in shots, and a 6-4 advantage in corner kicks. The Red Foxes had the match’s only three shots in the overtime periods, and the only corner kick of extra time, which occurred in the second overtime.

Rider keeper Bethany-May Howard stopped eight Marist shots.

Marist is now 1-5-1 overall; Rider is 5-2-1.

The Red Foxes returns to action on Saturday for a MAAC contest at Manhattan, which is slated to start at 1 p.m.