Seton Hall University
Wagner
Seton Hall Blanks Wagner in Exhibition Finale
8/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The Seton Hall women's soccer team put an exclamation mark on its preseason schedule on Sunday, racing past Wagner, 3-0, in the squad's final exhibition outing prior to the start of the 2014 campaign.
The visiting Seahawks attempted the majority of the shots in the opening 20 minutes but behind a strong defensive effort and stout goalkeeping from junior Gina Maiorana (Street, Md.), the Pirates remained level. With both teams looking to break through, it was The Hall that moved out in front thanks to some nice combination play from sophomore Frankie Maier (Oradell, N.J.) and junior Amanda Gulli (Toms, River, N.J.) in the 23rd minute.
The Pirates worked well to advance the ball out of the back and found Maier in the midfield with space to provide an incisive ball. Gulli - who had previously been flagged for offside on several threating attacks - held her run effectively and ran onto Maier's ball in space with no one to beat but Wagner keeper Katie Marcy. On the ball and moving down the right wing, Gulli fired a right-footed strike that beat Marcy near-post, giving Seton Hall a 1-0 lead for the second-straight contest.
The Pirates also struck first during an exhibition match at Central Connecticut State on Thursday, but while the Blue Devils eventually equalized in the waning moments, The Hall would add two more insurance goals to cement the victory over Wagner.
Early in the second half, sophomore Illissa Blackshear (West Orange, N.J.) took over for Maiorana between the posts and came up with key stops to preserve the one-goal margin - first getting down well to deny Seahawks forward Samantha Jensen from in close, then securing a direct free kick off the foot of Siara Kolpon. With the score holding at 1-0 in the 67th minute, it was once again Maier living up to her #10 shirt and playing the role of orchestrator to help Seton Hall stretch the lead to two.
With the ball stuck in a crowded midfield, Maier went full stretch to switch the play, sending a ball searching for junior D'Yonna Riley (Washingtonville, N.Y.) on the right wing. Wagner freshman Jessica Donovan misplayed her clearance attempt, allowing the pass to find a streaking Riley who calmly worked her way into the area and slotted her shot past substitute keeper Kaitlin Flaherty.
Fifteen minutes later, a Seahawks foul just outside their own area gave Seton Hall freshman Morgan LaDuca (Toms River, N.J.) an opportunity to strike as she stepped up and drove the ensuing free kick by Flaherty and just under the crossbar to account for the final score. LaDuca showed well in her home debut, contributing to a back line that included Emily Hansinger (Mount Laurel, N.J.), Alyssa Stipcak (Mt. Airy, Md.) and classmate Andrea Palermo (Caledon, Ontario) for much of the 90 minutes and helped maintain the clean sheet.
LaDuca is also the second newcomer to find the back of the net for first-year head coach Rick Stainton's side in the brief preseason after Katie Landes (Stony Point, N.Y.) provided the lone Seton Hall strike at Central Connecticut State.
"We are very pleased with the way our team has evolved so far in our short time together," said Stainton. "They have done a terrific job of embracing the style of play that we are trying to instill and with two positive results against two quality teams, I think we see some of that work coming to fruition."
Seton Hall opens the 2014 regular season on Thursday, August 22 at Marist. The Pirates will return home on Sunday, August 25 to host Rider at 7:00 p.m.
