The Long Island Rough Riders earned four out of a possible six points during its two-game road trip in the United Women’s Soccer East Conference matches in the western part of the division.
The Riders recorded a 5-2 victory over the Western New York Flash Saturday and secured a 1-1 draw with the Rochester Lady Lancers Saturday.
SATURDAY, JUNE 2
NEW ENGLAND MUTINY 4, WORCESTER SMILES 0
AGAWAM, Mass. – After falling to the Worcester Smiles in Week III action on the road, New England was looking to return the favor Saturday evening at home. The Mutiny got the quick start that it was hoping for with a fifth-minute goal from team captain Kate Howarth and doubled its lead in the 38th minute by way of Syracuse standout Sydney Brackett. The result was put beyond doubt shortly after halftime as Brenna Brown, who assisted Brackett’s first goal, found Brackett in the 46th minute. Howarth put on the final touches on the scoresheet with a 56th-minute tally, giving her three goals this season. This was a result that the Mutiny needed after a challenging last couple of weeks, as in addition to the loss to Worcester last week it allowed a last-minute equalizer to Rochester at home May 19. But the three points vaulted the Mutiny back into second place with seven points through four matches. Brittany Henderson stopped eight shots for Worcester while Lysianne Proulx made seven saves for the home side.
WESTERN NEW YORK FLASH 2, LONG ISLAND ROUGH RIDERS 5
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Western New York Flash defeated Long Island 3-1 in Week II and was looking for a similar result as it welcomed the Rough Riders to D’Youville College for its home opener. The Flash needed only two minutes to take the lead as Erica Hubert smashed in the opener as Taylor Bennett’s long throw-in created chaos inside the box. The hosts nearly had a second goal six minutes later but Maddie Pezzino’s shot hit the bar and stayed out. Long Island found the equalizer in the 29th minute as Kayla Saager’s free kick found the back of the net. Only moments later, reigning UWS East Conference player of the year Kim Marra hit a well-weighted ball into the path of Morgan Santoro, with the former Adelphi University striker finishing off the sequence to give her team a 2-1 lead. Long Island extended its lead to 3-1 in the 58th minute as Francesca Venezia combined well with Santoro before the former Boston College player slotted one past goalkeeper Megan Tock. The Rough Riders would not look back from there as Santoro and Venezia each scored again inside the final half hour while Carissima Cutrona pulled one back for the host Flash, scoring her third goal this season via a second-half penalty kick.
CONNECTICUT FUSION 2, INFERNO RUSH 0
FARMINGTON, Conn. – The expansion Connecticut Fusion continued its strong start with its third successive victory. After netting a spot on the Week III UWS team of the week with a pair of goals against Rochester, former Irish youth international Haley Nolan gave the Fusion a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute, finishing off a Shauny Alterisio ball. The other two-goal scorer in last week’s victory at Rochester, Tori Sousa scored the insurance goal in the 54th minute. That was all the help that goalkeeper Meghan Dalton needed as she stopped five shots en route to her first solo clean sheet of the season, after combining for a dual shutout with Ashley Cavanaugh in Week III. Inferno’s Kelly O’Brien made three saves. She and are team will look to try and gain some revenge as they host the Fusion in Week V.
NEW JERSEY COPA FC 1, NEW YORK SURF 1
WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – It was a key match for New Jersey and New York as both sides wanted to get back into the East Conference race. Only a handful of chances for either team in the opening minutes before New York struck for the opening goal. Former New York University player Melissa Menta finished off one from close distance in the 24th minute. Five minutes into the second half, the host equalized on a fortunate bounce. Alexis Williams laced in a cross from the flank that ricocheted off of a Surf defender and found the back of the net. The chances started to pick up as the second half wore on for both sides. With five minutes left in regulation, the referee stopped the match with dangerous weather conditions brewing in the area. After a delay, the final few minutes were called off due to severe weather barraling through the mid-Atlantic region and the game ended as a 1-1 draw. Both teams remain in the bottom half of the conference standings.
SUNDAY, JUNE 3
ROCHESTER LADY LANCERS 1, LONG ISLAND ROUGH RIDERS 1
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – It was a rainy Sunday afternoon as the Lady Lancers took to the Marina Auto Stadium pitch for the second consecutive weekend, looking for a little redemption after falling 4-0 to Connecticut last weekend. They welcomed Long Island, which came into the match on a high after bagging five goals against Western New York Saturday night. But with the Rough Riders’ short turnaround and the less-than-ideal conditions, the match took a little while to find its rhythm. The hosts went ahead in the 27th minute as Brooke Barbuto, who was fouled inside the area by goalkeeper Kelsey Daugherty, slotted home a penalty kick for her fourth goal this season. The Lady Lancers continued to push as Dori Rizzo created two chances for herself the rest of the first half, but couldn’t add to the lead. The Rough Riders found their equalizer inside the final 20 minutes as Rochester goalkeeper Catie Broderick misjudged a long free kick, allowing Laura Gomez to easily put the loose ball home.
