RIVERDALE, NY – The Manhattan Jaspers Women's Soccer team (6-2-2, 3-1-2 Metro), after a game-winning goal from
Baileigh Johnson late in the second half, stood tall in its Metro matchup against the Broncs of Rider (3-6-1, 2-5 Metro) by a final score of 1-0 on Wednesday afternoon at Gaelic Park.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Rider recorded the first chance of the day, sailing a shot over the head of Molly Brunk just four minutes in.
- Baileigh Johnson sent in the first on-target opportunity of the afternoon, forcing the Broncs' Ashley Moore to make a save just shy of the 16th minute.
- A little over three minutes later, a corner sent in by Estelle Raspe connected with the head of Marlene Berlinghoff for Manhattan's first goal. However, Rider challenged the play and VAR found a prior foul on Johnson, and thus disallowing the would-be opening score.
- Johnson tallied two more looks at the goal in the first half, both being saved by Moore.
- Towards the end of the half, Olivia McMaster and Scarlett Smith found themselves in a two on one situation, but the initial shot from McMaster was blocked followed by a miss to the right for Smith in the 37th minute.
- Other than a yellow card assessed to the visitors' Ella Baumgardt in the 40th minute, action stayed relatively quiet for the final five to send the teams into the locker rooms deadlocked with no score.
- Brunk collected her first save shortly into the second half in the 53rd minute off a low center shot from Tess Ferrie.
- Lauren Ahearn put one on target for the Jaspers shortly after, as Moore accumulated her fourth save through 70 minutes.
- In a heart stopper, Marlene Berlinghoff sent a shot off of the crossbar shortly before the 72nd minute.
- Capitalizing off what she was looking for all day, Johnson received a feed from Raspe and fired it home, breaking the game's scoreless drought 74:14 in and giving Manhattan the late advantage.
- The Green and White continued attacking, with McMaster and Ahearn forcing more saves from Moore as late as the 87th, but it proved to be just enough in keeping the pressure off the defense, securing the win.
STATS AND NOTES
- Freshman forward Baileigh Johnson scored the second goal of her collegiate career, and her first since Aug. 16.
- Senior forward Lauren Ahearn tallied two shots on target, second behind Johnson.
- Senior goalkeeper Molly Brunk recorded one save en route to the 24th shutout and 26th win of her career, both extending program records.
- Manhattan dominated the shot battle 22-3, winning 8-1 in the on target category.
QUOTES FROM THE JASPERS
- Head Coach Brendan Lawler: "What I'm proud of is getting here with our 30 players who prepared us through practice this week. Really proud of the whole team to get shutouts and wins through that."
- Lawler on Johnson and Estelle Raspe's game-winning play: "Set pieces are huge and the moments that can decide games and championships. We've made a focus on corner kicks, just a matter of learning their responsibilities. Estelle is a great ball striker and Baileigh is a pure nine, and those things came together at the right time."
- Freshman forward Baileigh Johnson: "It feels really good. I know my team's worked hard for this moment. We knew we needed the three points today and we earned it."
- Johnson on her chemistry with Raspe: "Estelle is such a solid player. I think we're gonna work really good for the next four years and we're really solid as a team in general."
NEXT UP
- Lawler and the Jaspers will hit the road once again this weekend, this time to Maryland. They will clash with the Mountaineers from Mount St. Mary's on Saturday, October 10 in Emmitsburg. Action from Waldron Family Stadium is scheduled to get underway at 12 noon and can be streamed live on ESPN+ with a paid subscription.
Follow Manhattan Women's Soccer on Instagram and X (@JaspersWSOC).
