NEWTON, Mass. – In a game that saw seven total goals, including a 2-2 score-line just seventeen minutes into the first half, the Rivier University Raiders earned a 4-3 decision over Mount Ida on Saturday afternoon in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action at Mount Ida's Alumni Field.
The Raiders, who tied the all-time series with Mount Ida at five wins apiece, got two goals from senior Lauren Tamposi (Hollis, N.H.), including the ultimate game-winner, which came with over a half an hour to play in the second half but ended what had been a busy opening sixty minutes for the scorekeepers.
Briana Tomaselli (Warwick, R.I.) had a goal and an assist for Mount Ida, and put the home team in front just over nine minutes into the contest when she dribbled around the Rivier goalkeeper and slid her fourth goal of the year into a wide open net.
Sierra Legge (Schodack Landing, N.Y.) and Isabelle Moody (Naugatuck, Conn.) also scored for Mount Ida, with Legge adding an assist on Moody's goal, which briefly tied the game at three eight minutes before Tamposi's game-winner.
Each team fired 18 shots and both goalkeepers made six saves in the contest, with Rivier's Cassandra Brown (Senior/Somersworth, N.H.) and Mount Ida's Rebecca Beaulieu (Weare, N.H.) alternating 5-1 save advantages in each half.
The visitors tied the game at 11:25 into the first half on a strike by sophomore Susan O'Loughlin (Stoneham, Mass.), who delivered a brilliant strike over the head of Beaulieu from twenty yards out. O'Loughlin, another player with a goal and an assist in this game, would go on to feed Tamposi for the final score of the afternoon in the second half.
Legge answered for the Mustangs 1:21 later with a deep strike of her own, after Tomaselli fed the ball back to her once her run in the box created shooting space. It was Legge's second goal of the year, while Tomaselli added to her team lead and now has ten points on the season.
Freshman Amanda Wickens (Tyngsboro, Mass.), who had a goal for the Raiders, re-tied the game five minutes after Legge's tally, finding the end of a corner kick delivered by Mariah Payne (Concord, N.H.).
Sophomore Kelsey Harding (Dracut, MA) helped Rivier take the lead in the 42nd minute, as she played a ball over the top to Tamposi, who has three goals on the year after her brace this afternoon.
Tomaselli and Moody, who combined for thirteen shots, each had opportunities to increase the lead for the home team. Tomaselli found the underside of the crossbar on an effort in the first half, and then clanged a shot off the post on a breakaway chance later in the period.
Moody also had a clean breakaway chance in the second half, but was not able to beat Brown, who flashed her right hand out to get a piece of the shot.
Mount Ida had a slim 5-4 edge in corner kicks, including four of them in the first half, when they outshot the Raiders 12-7. After the break, it was Rivier with a convincing 11-6 shot advantage.
Rivier does not have a mid-week game either, and will be at home on Saturday (9/28) for a conference game against Albertus Magnus at 3:30 pm.
The Mustangs have the entire week off and will be back on their home field next Saturday for a 1:00 pm GNAC contest against cross-town rivals Lasell.
