TEANECK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson women's soccer team (1-1-0, 1-0-0 NEC) opened the 2021 NEC season with a 1-0 shutout victory over Sacred Heart (0-2-1, 0-1-0 NEC) on Tuesday night from a frigid University Stadium.
Junior
Madelyn Robbins netted her first goal of the season and fourth of her career off a nice pass in from fellow junior
Isabelle Udovc in the 40th minute of action. The assist was Udovc's first of her career. Senior
Cassandra Marcoux registered a career-high 11 saves and her first shutout of the season.
Coach Teepe's Thoughts
"I think we're still finding our game right now, but I felt we had some good counter attacks in the first half and we stayed tight in the second half which allowed us to overcome not holding enough possession," stated head coach
Eric Teepe after the victory. "We know Sacred Heart is a top team, so it was good to get that game out of the way and to win our first game in the conference, especially when you don't have a lot of time beforehand is a good sign for us."
When asked about Robbins' goal, Teepe said, "We know we can be very good in the attacking part of the game and that was one of few times where we had a nice combination and Maddie converted a great chance. She could have had three goals tonight, but the keeper made a couple of great saves."
When asked about Marcoux's 11 save performance, Teepe stated, "Cass is such a hard worker and I think she wanted to prove to the team so much that she's the number one goalie and I think she came back with a tremendous game tonight. She had a couple of big saves, she was strong off the line, and was in control of the back line. It was a good bounce back game and shows what she can do."
How it Happened
- FDU opened the game with a pair of shots that just missed the mark off the head of senior Alyssa Caggiano and the right foot of senior Viktorija Miseljic.
- Sacred Heart registered their best chance of the first half in the 27th minute when sophomore Michelle Clarkin shot a ball that was saved by senior Cassandra Marcoux.
- FDU sophomore Naemi Hausen serviced in a corner in the 28th minute that resulted in a header from Udovc that just missed the top corner of the net.
- Marcoux registered a key save off a corner kick that led to a shot from freshman Karsen Pirone in the 31st minute.
- FDU's offense created a great chance when Udovc rifled a shot that was saved by sophomore Elyssa Kipperman and Miseljic had a chance, but sent it high in the 34th minute.
- The Knights found the back of the net in the 40th minute when Udovc took the ball up the pitch and found Robbins who lofted it over the head of the goalie to give FDU a 1-0 advantage.
- The Pioneers junior Jill Klem headed a ball in the 53rd minute that Marcoux punched away and then Marcoux denied a shot from sophomore Meadow Mancini from the left-hand side of the field in the 66th minute,
- FDU's offense applied pressure in the 68th minute when they earned a free kick and Robbins rifled a shot that was saved by Kipperman to earn a corner and off the corner from junior Lea Egner, sophomore Christa Waterman had a shot that again was saved.
- Sacred Heart responded with an offensive flurry of their own when freshman Maria Nolan rifled a right-footed shot that Marcoux registered a great save on in the 73rd minute.
- FDU's defense concluded its first shutout of the season by holding Sacred Heart to only one more shot the rest of the game as the Knights won 1-0.
Inside the Box Score
- Marcoux recorded 11 saves in the match, four in the first half and seven in the second.
- FDU attempted seven total shots, with four on goal and earned two corner kicks in the match.
- The Knights played 18 players in the match for the second straight game.
- FDU is now 11-8-3 all-time against Sacred Heart and has won the past two matches between the two teams.
What's Next
FDU will travel to Wagner on Tuesday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m. for their second NEC match of the season. You can catch the action on NEC Front Row.
