HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson women's soccer moved to 4-0 in Northeast Conference play with a 2-0 win over Bryant on Sunday. The game also saw two new program records get established.
The win was the 43rd for head coach
Eric Teepe at the helm of the Knights, which is a new program record.
Jessi Reinhardt moved into the top spot on the career assists table with her 20th of her career on
Sofia Albertsson's goal in the second half.
Teepe told fduknights.com postgame, "It is always good to get the result. We did not play our best, however. The difference was we took advantage of our one good chance."
Fairleigh Dickinson (6-7-2, 4-0 NEC) has now started two of the last three seasons 4-0 in the league. The Knights sit in a tie with Saint Francis with 12 points so far in conference play.
Neither Bryant (9-3-2, 3-2 NEC) or Fairleigh Dickinson were able to mount severe pressure in the opening half. However, the Knights did capitalize on their first chance of the second half when
Elma Kolenovic found
Jessi Reinhardt down the left side of the box; Reinhardt then played the ball across goal and Albertsson buried it at the back to give the Knights the 1-0 lead, which was her seventh of the season.
That sequence came two minutes after Bryant had two chances in the 49th minute to give themselves a 1-0 lead. Hannah Crofit put a shot on goal that forced a diving save from
Amanda Fitzgerald, who went full extension to her left to keep it out. The rebound that came off the save fell to Amanda Spitaleri on the right side of the box, but she hit the post with her attempt, and the game remained scoreless.
Reinhardt would provide the insurance marker in the 79th minute when she received a pass from
Viktorija Miseljic inside the 18 and fired home a shot from the left, short side. The goal was Reinhardt's third of the season. It was also the second time in three games that the senior had a goal and an assist.
Miseljic's helper was her fourth of the season and 14th point overall. Reinhardt's three-point day moves her season to 11, which gives the Knights four different players with 10-plus points.
The Knights' defense limited the Bulldogs from getting any real chances after the score was 1-0 and 2-0. Bryant had only three shots after the Knights took the lead and just one was on goal.
Fitzgerald finished with five saves to record her fourth shutout of the season and picked up her fifth win in the process.
The win was the third shutout in four games against NEC foes for Fairleigh Dickinson. The Knights have allowed only one goal over six hours of game time in league play this season.
Teepe added, "We simplified [the game] four our backline. That allowed them to play smart, big, avoid tight spots, make sure to get the ball out and move it forward. I was happy with how we converted our chances; I was not necessarily satisfied with our commitment up and down the field. We have to find a way to create more opportunities."
Fairleigh Dickinson continues NEC play next weekend when they visit the two member schools in Pennsylvania. Friday's game will be at Robert Morris and Sunday will be at Saint Francis.
