FAIRFIELD, Conn. – With less than two minutes remaining in her collegiate career on her home field, senior Brenna Brown gave the Stags the highlight of their season. With the rain pouring down on a dreary and rain soaked Lessing Field, Brown took a pass from Julia McGuire and after a couple of moves pushed the game-winning goal in the 88th minute to give the Stags a 1-0 victory on Senior Day. After the final 101 seconds ticked down, the team stormed the field with a reason to celebrate.
“It feels really good obviously,” Brown said. “I think it's a moment that everybody looks forward to throughout their career. To have it go this way is a good ending for us even though our season didn't go the way we wanted to.”
“We know it's been a really rough year but it was great to see the girls battling,” Head Coach Jim O'Brien said. “Whether it was Wednesday against Monmouth and then this Rider team, to post two shutouts and most importantly win on Senior Day is really exciting.”
The game was played with rain throughout, which switched between a slight drizzle and solid rain fall which affected the game in several ways. Rider (9-5-3, 6-3-1 MAAC) had the early advantage with the wind at their back, taking eight shots in the first 45 minutes, compared to four attempts for the Stags. The best chance for the visiting Broncs came in the 39th minute, when a Rider striker had beaten the goalkeeper to the left side and finished her score, but the goal was waved off due to an offsides violation. The Fairfield defensive effort settled down after that chance, allowing just two Rider shots over the final 50 minutes of game play.
The Stags (3-12-2, 2-5-2 MAAC) had their own shot at going into halftime with the advantage when Faith Daley launched a left footed shot that was destined for the top half of the goal, but Rider goalkeeper Bethany-May Howard leaped and was able to get a fingertip on the shot, forcing it over the goal.
Neither team had great chances in the second half, with the Stags holding the 8-2 advantage in attempts during the final 45 minutes. Half of those shots were on target, starting with Holly Habyan's attempt in the 46th minute and concluding with a shot from Pamela Coufos in the 85th minute.
With the clock ticking down, the Stags would create a play that would become the highlight of their season. The freshman McGuire drove the ball to the right side and then passed to the top of the 18-yard box to Brown who was met with a triple team. Brown was forced to dribble around a few defenders, and in doing do was able to find space on the left side. She rolled the ball to the bottom left corner and gave the Stags their first win at Lessing Field this season.
The win was one of pride, a word that the Stags had talked about in the locker room before the game, “play for pride, finish on a high note,” were the words Coach O'Brien and the team uttered before the game. “Moving forward into the future do the same, have a lot of pride in the way you play.”
Rider could have clinched a first round bye in the MAAC Championship with a win, but will now have to wait on the results from around the league.
For the Stags, they will conclude their 2016 season at Manhattan on Wednesday at 7pm.
