Fairfield Holds Off Army In 1-0 Decision

Friday, August 22

West Point, N.Y.

7:00 PM

Army West Point

0-1-0

Fairfield

1-0-0

Fairfield

Army

Fairfield Holds Off Army In 1-0 Decision

August 22, 2014 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

WEST POINT, N.Y. - Sophomore midfielder Brenna Brown capitalized off the rebound on her blocked shot with two minutes left to halftime and Fairfield made that stand in a 1-0 win over Army in the season opener for both teams Friday evening at Clinton Field.

The Stags (1-0-0), picked second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's preseason poll, outshot Army 18-5, but were held to just one goal by Black Knight sophomore goalkeeper Jordan Cassalia, who finished with six saves.

Just prior to her game winner, Brown's attempt was blocked by an Army player with the ball coming right back to her. She booted it from the top right corner for a 1-0 Stags lead in the 43rd minute on Fairfield's 10th shot in the first half. Brown finished with a game-high eight shots.

Fairfield fired eight shots in the second half along with four on goal and held a 5-4 advantage in corner kicks for the game.

Five Army players took a shot with junior Katie Holder registering the lone attempt on goal as Fairfield keeper Kathleen Early made her lone save on a 25-yarder by Holder in the 54th minute

Army head coach Marcia McDermott felt her team did a better in tonight's opener than in two preseason exhibition games. The Black Knights are a young squad with 17 underclassmen that includes 10 freshmen on a roster of 29.

"Tonight we saw a lot of promising pieces, so we have some work to do to connect," explained McDermott, who is in her second year at Army. "We held the ball up really well on top with Bailey Widman doing an outstanding job with possession.

"Our midfield did a good job connecting with each other in terms of possession, and the back line solved a lot of situations presented to them.

"We are still working on how to play together as a team, and when we solve that I think there is a lot of potential with this group."

Army, playing its first two games at home, hosts 2013 NCAA qualifier St. John's Monday evening under the lights at Cliinton Field.

Three newcomers were among 15 Army players to draw time in Friday's opener. Plebe Clare Shea, a New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year, was among the starting 11 as a midfielder with Sarah Woelfel and Madison McGinn providing depth off the bench.