Hampton, Va. – The Robert Morris University women's soccer team won the second game in their back-to-back series in Virginia, 1-0 over the Hampton Pirates.
RMU is now 2-0 overall this year, and Hampton falls to 0-1, losing their home opener.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Colonials got off to a similar start as they did yesterday, creating chances early on. Three minutes into the match,
Carson Bogan got the team's first shot on goal. Throughout the first 14 minutes, RMU sprayed five shots towards goal, with four being on target.
Both teams through the middle of the first half shared chances, earning corner kicks. In the 28
th minute and the 35
th minute, RMU made four substitutions getting fresh legs out on the pitch. Squad rotation was a key during the week in playing back-to-back games, as head coach
Chris Shaw started 10 different players from yesterday's match at VMI.
Finally, in the 42
nd minute of the game,
Lidia Nduka was awarded a penalty kick. She placed the shot perfectly in the bottom right corner to take a 1-0 lead. In the first two games of the season, the Colonials have gotten a penalty kick opportunity, scoring on both chances from the 12-yard dot. Graduate
Kaoru Hayashi scored yesterday against VMI from the penalty spot.
In the second half, play became more physical and both backlines for each team played a higher line as offsides was called in both directions on a few occasions. In the 72
nd minute, Elizabeth Kelly of Hampton was given a yellow card.
Throughout the second half, the Colonials posted six more shots on goal and two corner kicks, but their best chances came in the final three minutes of the match. From the 88
th to 90
th minute of the game, RMU received five corner kick opportunities. The Colonials failed to score off those five-corner kick's but they kept the ball in the offensive zone to finish the game, stopping Hampton from getting any more scoring chances in their own zone. In the end, RMU came away victorious, winning 1-0.
SCORING PLAYS
42' –
Lidia Nduka (Goal, PK)
SOLID START
Just as they did last year, the team has started off 2-0 to begin the season. In 2022, the Colonials beat VMI and Saint Francis to begin the season. This year, they've taken down VMI again and now Hampton.
All-time against Hampton, the Colonials are 3-0. They outscored the Pirates 12-3, with all games being played under
Chris Shaw's tenure. Overall, in those three games, the Colonials have outshot the Pirates 56-26. And, with shots on goal, 40-15.
WELCOME TO THE MO SHOW
One freshman on the roster earned her first minutes in today's game, as
McKenzie Pritts started the game and played 28 minutes. A forward and midfielder, Pritts comes from Yough High School out in Smithton, Pa. She's one of the seven freshmen Shaw recruited for this season.
MAGNIFICENT MURRAY
Through two games so far, the Colonials have yet to give up a goal. Graduate goalkeeper
Brenna Murray has been a big part of that as she's played all 180 minutes, making 10 saves. This is the first time since 2008 that RMU started the year off with back-to-back shutouts. 15 years ago, the Colonials didn't give up a goal, beating YSU, 2-0 and Howard, 1-0 to begin the season. Caitlin Dilal in net earned both clean sheets and made 15 saves.
QUOTABLE
"It's tough to play back-to-back games in the middle of the day," stated head coach
Chris Shaw. "We had some heavy legs, but credit to Hampton for playing a tough game. We're very happy to start off the season with two wins."
UP NEXT
After their series in Virginia, the Colonials head back to campus to practice for the next five days. Then on Thursday, August 24, RMU heads back out on the road to Akron for their third non-conference battle of the campaign.
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