By David F. Pendrys

NEW HAVEN, CT- The Bridgeport Purple Knights held off the SCSU Owls Sunday to pick up a 2-1 win thanks to a game winning goal from Shannon Colligan on a penalty kick late in the second half. Bridgeport had been driving in close to the Southern goal when the referee ruled an infraction had occurred pitting Colligan against goalie Gabrielle Arruda. The UB forward was able to knock it to Arruda’s right. It had been Colligan that had put UB on the board in the first half as well.

After Colligan’s second tally put them down 2-0 the Owls responded quickly as Christine Allard achieved a break away and knocked it past Bridgeport’s Jennifer Wendelius. Despite continued SCSU pressure including several corner kicks UB was able to hold them off from finding the net again with several stands on the goal line.

Bridgeport took 11 shots, 7 of which were on net. Arruda saved 4 of them and the team received credit for the 5^th. SCSU took 8 shots with 4 on net, and Wendelius saved 2 with her team getting credit the third.

Bridgeport is now 2-0, and SCSU drops to 0-2. Southern travels to LIU Post on Wednesday and Bridgeport travels to Adelphi on the seventh as well.

Additional noticed plays: (From the second half only. The editor was detained at the Yale v. Iona double overtime game. These are noticed plays that don’t result in a goal and such. As action on the field is constant it is not exhaustive. A player may have many more plays than noted. This is an experimental way of relating results. Still seeing if it works.)

Southern

Interceptions:

Deanna Ryan had at least 2. Olivia Holubecki had an interception in the SCSU zone to stop a UB drive. A Kieran DeBiase interception lead to a scoring chance. She also intercepted a Bridgeport attempt on the other end of the field. Karoline Petersen used a header to intercept a UB ball.

Steals and Disruptions:

Holubecki stopped a scoring attack and later did so again. Petersen’s steal flummoxed UB as they tried to set up. DeBiase stole the ball as UB drove, and later had another. Giavanna Colaccino picked up a steal as Bridgeport broke in. Marisa Grisell, Kristin Gay had steals as well. Kelly Lamb stole a ball and cleared it late in the game. Ryan had one of SCSU’s clears on the day.

Goaltending:

Some of UB’s chances were far more precarious than others and Arruda had a critical save and later, she and her defenders stopped the Purple Knights attack in close.

Offense:

DeBiase used great ball handling to get up the field and Brianna Casey had a good drive effort herself.

Bridgeport

Interceptions:

Flo Gamby had at least two as did Hanne Neby.

Steals and Disruptions:

Julia Weidenmark blocked a centering pass, Gamby blocked a shot. Stephanie Vahos disrupted a shot, had a steal, blocked a SCSU corner kick to get it clear, and blocked a later SCSU effort. Ariana Weingrad had a steal and Rebecka Ronnegard nullified an opposing scoring drive

Clears:

Colligan headed a clear. Weingrad had multiple clears from midfield and the UB zone, including combining with Gamby to clear a SCSU corner kick aftermath. Also, Weidenmark used a header as a clear too.

Offense:

Colligan’s great ball handling in close eventually led to the penalty kick which she scored on. She would later drive down effectively again. She also set up Idoia Agirre though the result was not a goal. Amanda Moura had a good set up for a goal attempt as well.