LORETTO, Pa. – Emily Villanueva's goal in the 6' proved to be the winner in FDU's 1-0 victory over Saint Francis U on Thursday afternoon. The Knights improve to 4-1-1 in NEC play and currently sit atop the table with 13 points.
With today's win, FDU has now taken three points in five of their last six matchups with the Red Flash and have not lost to Saint Francis U since 2018.
"It was a well-deserved win," said head coach
Eric Teepe. "I thought we played great in the first half. They pressured us in the second half, but we held on. This is one where you learn how to win."
After playing a career high 55 minutes in FDU's last match, the sophomore Villanueva continued to capitalize on increased playing time. In the 6', Villanueva took a pass from
Anna Cacciuttolo and rocketed a shot from outside the box into the back of the net. It marked Villanueva's first goal of her career and gave the Knights a 1-0 lead. Cacciuttolo was credited with the assist.
The Knights controlled the rest of the half, outshooting the Red Flash 6-0, but could not increase their lead before the 45 minutes were up.
The second half saw a more aggressive Red Flash attack as they pushed for an equalizer. They put all three of their shot attempts on net, but rookie goalkeeper
Rosemarie Leblanc responded with three saves to preserve the shutout and 1-0 win for FDU.
This is the fifth clean sheet of the season for Leblanc and the Knights. Leblanc is the NEC leader in shutouts, with Wagner's Sam Hughes sitting just behind her with four. The Seahawks will take on Central Connecticut later tonight.
Nadia Wojcik delivered a huge 90-minute performance in her first start of her career for the Knights. The sophomore stepped in at center-back and anchored the backline throughout the match.
"Nadia was excellent," remarked Teepe. "Being ready to step into a position she isn't used too says a lot about her as a player and her character. I give her a lot of credit."
In the end, FDU outshot the Red Flash 8-3.
WHAT'S NEXT
FDU will be on the road again next Thursday, October 17, when they take on Stonehill. The match is scheduled for 3 p.m. and can be seen on NEC Front Row.
Presto's Pizza is the presenting sponsor of the 2024 women's soccer season
