FAIRFIELD, Conn. – As the rain drops intensified on Lessing Field, so did the offensive pressure of the Fairfield University Women's Soccer team, leading to Reagan Klarmann back tapping a pass from Maddy Theriault in the 78th minute to break a 1-1 tie and give the Stags a 2-1 win over Rider to stay unbeaten in conference play. The goal was the second of the second half for the Stags with Elle Scott opening the scoring with a goal in the 50th minute.
 
"Obviously we're happy to get the three points," Head Coach David Barrett said. "It's crucial that we keep our momentum going. I thought we played a lot of good minutes tonight. They're difficult to break down, they put a lot of numbers in front of the goal. We have to be more efficient in our finishing. We had a lot of good looks in the first half and if we finish the looks that we are getting we will make life easier for us. We're looking to build from here."
 
On a very rainy and windy night on Lessing Field, the Stags made the Rider goalkeeper Ellie Sciancalepore work all game, putting up 13 shots in the first half with seven on target.
 
Emilie Cook had the first chance for the Stags that was originally caught by Sciancalepore but would slip out of her hands momentarily with the wet surface.
 
Theriault would have three shots on target in the first 45 minutes and Klarmann also had an open chance but her shot was hit away by Sciancalepore and the rebounded shot by Dana Nadda was also saved.
 
The Stags would only need five minutes in the second half to find the back of the net with Scott launching a ball towards goal that was also caught by Sciancalepore but ultimately slipped out of her hands and past the line to give the Stags a 1-0 lead. For Scott, it was her second-straight game with a goal.
 
Rider, who was held to one shot in the first half, would find more offensive momentum, leading to their first goal of the game on a strike by Logan Racine.
 
Fairfield would net the game-winner five minutes later as Theriault sent a low ball towards net that was back tapped by Klarmann for her first score of the season.
 
The chance was initially set up by a long shot by Meghan Carragher that was hit away by Sciancalepore setting up a corner kick.
 
In total, the Stags out-shot Rider 26-7, the 11th time in their last 12 conference matches that the Stags have out-shot their opponents.
 
Klarmann led the group with six shots, including one that hit off the crossbar in the second half.
 
Fairfield will have another week off before making the Western New York trek to Niagara to face the Purple Eagles on Saturday at noon.