Women's Soccer Falls To No. 20 UConn 2-1 On Friday Night
Junior Alysa Christo recorded her first goal of the 2015 season, but it wasn't enough to fend of intrastate rival UConn on Friday night in New Britain.
The Central Connecticut women's soccer team was edged by No. 20 Connecticut, 2-1, on Friday night at home in front of a packed crowd at the CCSU Soccer Field. With the setback the Blue Devils drop to 3-2-2 overall on the season. UConn improves to 7-1 on the year with the victory. The Blue Devils and Huskies played in front of a crowd of 2,514 on the CCSU Soccer Field.
The Blue Devils struck first, breaking the scoreless tie in the 61st minute when junior Alysa Christo netted her first goal of the 2015 season. Fellow classmate, Kristine Kelly, took a pass at the top of the box by senior Claire Walsh. Kelly's shot hit the top left of the cross bar, and bounced to Christo who took the ball on one bounce and headed it by the UConn keeper for the 1-0 lead.
UConn wasted little time answering the Blue Devil goal, tying the score 1-1 on the second goal of the season from Samantha McGuire just over two minutes later. McGuire took a cross from Stephanie Ribiero and beat Central junior keeper Nicki Turley to the high right side for the goal.
Ribiero would score the game-winner for the Huskies at 74:31 to give UConn thsi seventh win in eight matches this season. Ribiero took a feed from Rachel Hill just inside the box, spun, and scored her fourth goal of the season just out of the reach of Turley in the lower right side of the goal.
UConn held a 20-7 edge in shots in the match. Turley made an impressive eight saves, including several at point blank range. She is now 3-2-1 on the season in goal. UConn's Emily Armstong posted her sixth win of the season and made one save.
The Blue Devils will return to the pitch for their next match on Sunday afternoon at home against the UMass Lowell River Hawks. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. Admission to all CCSU home regular-season matches are free of charge and fans can also follow all of the action live, for free, on NECFrontRow.com
