Pictured Above: The duo of Wagner's goal, Diana Saber (left) and Megan Fritz (right)

Box Score (PDF) I Box Score (HTML)

Smithfield, RI – The Wagner women's soccer team dropped its first Northeast Conference (NEC) match to Bryant 2-1, on a windy Sunday afternoon in Smithfield, RI.
 
With the loss the Seahawks fall to 1-9-1 on the season, 0-1 in NEC play while Bryant improves to 3-8-1 on the season and 2-0 in NEC play.
 
The Seahawks wasted no time, getting on the board in the second minute of the match to take an early 1-0 lead. Junior forward Diana Saber (Syosset, NY/Syosset) dribbled the ball up the left side of the field and fed a pass right to junior midfielder Megan Fritz (Cape Coral, FL/Mariner), who laced a shot high above Bryant goalkeeper Kaylan Conrad to the opposite side of the net. Saber was credited with the assist, her first of the season while Fritz picked up her fourth goal of the season, a team high for Wagner. The early goal ended a two-game shutout streak for Conrad.
 
Wagner controlled the game throughout much of the first half by defenders Peyton Beck (St. Louis, MO/Webster Groves), Jessica Donnelly (Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan), Jessica Mouradian (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) and Tori Rodriguez (Mission Viejo, CA/Capistrano Valley) as they limited Bryant to a minuscule one shot on goal.
 
That one shot on goal for Bryant found the back of the net as Caitlin Hannagen's shot deflected to the left side of the goal with just three minutes remaining in the first half to tie the game 1-1. The unassisted goal marks Hannagens first of the season.
 
Wagner and Bryant played physical and controlled the ball equally during the second half. Wagner had quite a few critical chances but could not get past Bryant keeper Conrad. Senior midfielder Johanna Konrad (Volkach, Germany/LSH)  made a tricky shot that went right over the cross bar to start the second half. Another opportunity came from junior midfielder Sydney McNutt (Hatboro, PA/Hatboro-Horsham), who lofted a pass into the box to Konrad who tried a diving header that just missed the net. Two other opportunities came from senior midfielder Victoria Roda (Staten Island, NY/Petrides) who had two separate corner kicks, both were right on target in the Bryant box but the header attempts failed. The Seahawks made Conrad work throughout the half, as she had a couple saves where she had to stretch and punch the ball the out.
 
The Bulldogs registered a second goal, which would end up being the game winning goal, late in the second half (82nd minute). Bryant's Scout Bensen dribbled the ball into Wagner territory, made a pass to Shea Williams who was open in the box and sunk one to the top left corner to make it 2-1.
 
Freshman Seahawk goalie Katie Viscardi (Hazlet, NJ/Mater Dei Prep) played her second complete game of her collegiate career coming up with a few tough saves to keep Wagner in the contest. Bryant was fouled in the 52nd minute and awarded a free kick right outside of the box. Viscardi came up huge with the save and got the ball out of the Wagner zone.
 
The Seahawks paved the way despite the score, outshooting the Bulldogs 21-9 through the 90 minute match. Konrad led with six shots, four of which were on goal.
 
Wagner returns to conference play when it hosts borough rival, LIU Brooklyn at 7:00 p.m. next Friday, October 9, under the lights on Hameline Field.