An end to a losing streak was not in the cards for the Stony Brook women’s soccer team on a dreary afternoon in northern New Jersey.
Freshman goalkeeper Nicole Pasquarella got the call to start against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights in the absence of junior goalkeeper Emerson Richmond Burke, but a lack of scoring led Stony Brook to a 1-0 loss on Thursday, Sept. 9. The Seawolves suffered their third straight loss, all of which being shutouts.
“I thought we performed well in the second half,” head coach Tobias Bischof said in a press release. “In the second half, we also were able to create some good scoring opportunities but overall, we weren’t clinical enough in front of the goal.”
Fairleigh Dickinson’s head coach Eric Teepe, a former assistant coach at Stony Brook, showed that he knew what was ahead of him.
The Seawolves hoped to hand Fairleigh Dickinson its first loss since Aug. 22, but the offensive woes continued as they played 103 scoreless minutes. The Knights’ defense was suffocating, allowing only six shots on goal in the double-overtime defensive chess match.
Pasquarella got a break in the first half with the Knights attempting zero shots on goal in the first 45 minutes, but the freshman was not scared of what was to come in the second half. Pasquarella matched Richmond Burke’s career high by recording six saves in her first collegiate start, all of which came in the second half as the Stony Brook defense became fatigued.
Stony Brook’s offense attempted six shots on goal for the match but was not able to corral any past freshman goalkeeper and reigning NEC Player of the Week Malene Nielson, who matched Pasquarella with six saves.
Fairleigh Dickinson showed to be the clear aggressor in the second half with eight shots on goal. The match was sent to two overtime periods after neither goalkeeper would let it past them in regulation.
In the 103rd minute in the second overtime period, the Knights finally saw one go in as junior midfielder Naemi Hausen got on a break-away and put one in the back of the net for her first goal of the season.
Stony Brook had a less-than-favorable end to their road trip and have now equaled their loss total from all of last season, now sitting at 1-4-1. The Seawolves hope to break their losing streak on Sunday, Sept. 12 against the St. Joseph Hawks as they begin a three-game homestand.
