FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Last season Brenna Brown had a chance to beat Rhode Island. The then-sophomore took an overtime shot that hit the crossbar, which also set up a counterattack, which led to the Rams' game-winning goal.
Tonight, Brown got her revenge. The junior tied a career-high with four points on two assists and a goal as the Stags got back on track defeating URI 3-1 on Lessing Field. Fairfield also got tallies from Karolyn Collins and Sydney Arestivo.
“I was just thinking about it last night,” Brown said about last year's loss against Rhode Island. “Today I saw Jim (O'Brien) and he said, 'you have a score to settle.'”
“Brenna was vindicated,” Head Coach Jim O'Brien said. “She was really keen on getting back on track and making up for last year.”
Brown accounted for all three Stags (2-5) goals in the contest. Her first assist came when Arestivo played a ball along the left flank and was able to poke a ball down the side. Brown beat a defender and set a cross to the far post where Collins was able to finish for her third goal of the season. Three minutes into the match, Fairfield had their first live ball goal in four matches.
The Stags would add on to that lead in the 36th minute. Brown dribbled the bar down the edge of the penalty area and grounded a ball to the top of the box. Arestivo, who had beaten her defender, was left wide open in the area and finished the chance to give Fairfield a 2-0 lead.
Two minutes later, the Stags capped their scoring. Jenny Jacobs picked up her first career point, when she kicked the ball towards the goal. Brown went up for the ball, colliding with the defender, but was able to get a piece of the ball for her first goal of the season.
“I just looked up,” Brown said. “There was no one else getting forward so I just sprinted to the box and hoped the ball hit me. And it did.”
Just 38 minutes into the match, the Stags had recorded a season-high three goals.
Rhode Island (3-2-1) was able to finish the half on the scoreboard. Amanda Nardella headed a cross sent from Nicole Brennan to make the score 3-1.
Neither side had a real great chance of scoring in the second half, with both goalkeepers picking up just two saves in the second frame.
Jenna Pike had a bounce back performance, recording a career-high seven saves, five coming in the first half. Katie Nickles had five saves for Rhode Island, who snapped a two game winning streak, after defeating Bryant and SEC foe Alabama.
“We needed this game very badly,” Brown said about Fairfield's first-ever win against the Rams. “I think it was well deserved though. We had a great win of practice and knew this was a must win. But we went in with a very confident attitude, we weren't panicked and I think it showed.”
“After losing four-straight games we needed to get back on track,” O'Brien said. “It reestablishes our home field supremacy. It gets us a little more comfortable getting ready for Holy Cross on Monday and most importantly it gets us ready to play Niagara next week.”
The Stags were out-shot 20-10 in the match and did not take a corner kick, while the Rams had four. The Stags are back in action on Monday night when they take on Jesuit rival Holy Cross at 6pm.
