HACKENSACK, N.J. – The annual road trip through Pennsylvania awaits the Fairleigh Dickinson women's soccer team this weekend as the Knights will play at Robert Morris on Friday afternoon (3 p.m.) and at Saint Francis U on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m.).
Fairleigh Dickinson and Saint Francis U are tied for first place on 12 points in the Northeast Conference standings.
LAST TIME OUT
The Knights moved to 4-0 in NEC play and 6-7-2 overall with a 2-0 win over Bryant on Sunday at University Stadium.
Sofia Albertsson scored the game-winner in the 53rd minute.
Jessi Reinhardt supplied the second goal in the 80th minute. The senior became the all-time leader in assists (20) when she crossed the ball to Albertsson on the first goal.
SERIES SCORE
The Knights are 10-6-1 all-time against Robert Morris. However, the Colonials won last season in Teaneck and are 4-3-1 on their home field against the Knights all-time. Before last season's lost, Fairleigh Dickinson was 4-0-1 in the previous five meetings.
Fairleigh Dickinson sports a 9-8-2 record all-time against Saint Francis U. The two sides have met in each of the last three Northeast Conference Tournaments – the Knights are 2-1 in those contests. Before the loss in last season's NEC Semis, the Knights had won five straight meetings, which ended a streak of five straight by SFU from 2009-2013.
SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS
The Colonials enter Friday at 3-11 overall and 1-4 in Northeast Conference play. Last time out, the Colonials fell 1-0 at Central Connecticut, and they are 1-7 in the last games. Kristina Kelley and Jane Schleicher have combined for 28 of the 35 goals and assists that Robert Morris has tallied this season. Kelley leads the squad with 16 (6G, 4A) and Schleicher has 12 (5G, 2A) points. Sydney Bruckner has logged over 1,000 minutes in goal for the Colonials and is 3-8 on the year with a 1.72 GAA.
SCOUTING SAINT FRANCIS U
The Red Flash sit at .500 on the seasons (7-7-1) and 4-1 in NEC play. Saint Francis U is coming off a 2-0 win at Wagner on Sunday, which salvaged a split of the weekend for the Saint Francis after the Red Flash lost at Central Connecticut in double overtime. Alyssa McGhee paces the offense with 19 points (6G, 7A), which is tops in the NEC. Gabu Morales, last season's NEC Player of the Year, is second on the squad with 12 points. Julia Hernan has played all but 23 minutes in goal and owns a .752 save percentage.
BALANCED ATTACK
The Knights feature four players with 10 or more points plus and four more players who have recorded two or more this season. Fairleigh Dickinson is the only team in the NEC with more two players with 10 or more points.
NEW CAREER LEADERS
Head coach
Eric Teepe and senior midfielder
Jessi Reinhardt became all-time leaders in the Knights' win over Bryant on Sunday. The win gave Teepe 43 in his career at Fairleigh Dickinson, which is a new record. Reinhardt's assist on
Sofia Albertsson's goal gave her 20 for her career and the program record in that category.
TWO MORE WINS
Teepe also needs two more Northeast Conference wins to become the program's all-time leader in that category. Currently, he is 23-3-2 in NEC play over his three-plus seasons at the helm.
AMONG NEC LEADERS
Knights occupy 40% of the top 10 in points in the NEC. Albertsson is T2 with 16, Viktroija Miseljic is T4 at 14,
Elma Kolenovic is in sixth on 13 and Reinhardt is ninth with 11.
Kolneovic leads the circuit in goals (7), and Albertsson is T2 with six. Miseljic is T5 with five on the year.
Reinhardt is second in assists with five helpers. Miseljic and
Daria Jones are also in the top 10.
Amanda Fitzgerald is fourth in total saves (65), and a save percentage (.765).
TOUGH DEFENSE
The Knights have allowed only one goal (0.24 GAA) in NEC play so far through four games and have recorded three clean sheets. The three shutouts have the Knights tied with three other teams for first in the league.
