TEANECK, N.J. – FDU women's soccer kicked off their 2024 campaign on Sunday afternoon with a scoreless draw against Seton Hall. This marked the Knights' first result against a Big East opponent since 2021.
FDU earned 54% of the possession, with 27% of that coming in their attacking end, but were not able to find the elusive finishing touch. In the first half,
Dominique Liberto came off the bench and put a left-footed strike on target that was skillfully saved by the Seton Hall keeper. FDU's best chance of the second half was a shot from Katia Cárdaba that was punched over the bar by the Pirate goalie.
Many of the offensive chances came courtesy of
Ana Salas' and
Helena Lehr's creativity and pace, which put constant pressure on the Seton Hall defenders.
"For the first game, we were pretty happy with it," stated head coach
Eric Teepe. "We were able to bring players off the bench and our play didn't drop, which is always a positive."
Part of the offensive attack were three freshmen that played significant minutes.
Marina Burzaco,
Elisa Garcia and
Elena Cvetkovic all made strong first impressions in Teaneck. Garcia, who started the game in the midfield, slid to right back in the second half and logged a 90-minute shift.
"Elena [Cvetkovic] came in and won every ball in of the air. Marina [Burzaco], every ball she gets, she holds on too," continued Teepe. "And then Elisa [Garcia], played two different positions and did a real good job. We're excited about her."
While the Knights' young talent was certainly on display, their veteran defenders shut down almost everything Seton Hall wanted to do. The back four of
Katie Ward,
Mona Schlegl,
Emma Moe, and
Leighann Kafel came into today with 133 combined starts under their belt. This experienced unit helped freshman goalkeeper
Rosemarie Leblanc pitch a shutout in her FDU debut.
"I felt that their line was tight and compact," said Teepe of his team's defensive performance. "Mona [Schlegl] is just getting better and better. That's a kid who could win NEC Defensive Player of the Year. That's how good she is."
The draw did not come without physical challenges on both sides. A total of six yellow cards were issued in the 90-minute match.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Knights will now embark on a six-game road trip that starts Thursday, August 22, at Stony Brook. The game is slated for a 5 p.m. kickoff.
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