Seton Hall University
Rutgers
Pirates Edged at Rutgers, 1-0
8/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - A first half goal by Rutgers substitute Jessica Puchalski proved to be the difference on Friday as the Seton Hall women's soccer team fell to the Scarlet Knights, 1-0, on the road in what was the 20th installment of the in-state rivalry.
The Hall (1-2) has now dropped two consecutive 1-0 decisions and has seen eight of its last nine defeats come by a one goal margin dating back to last season.
Senior Angie Shehaj (East Brunswick, N.J.) was active in the attack early on and in the seventh minute; she launched a bending shot that narrowly missed curling on frame.
The first shot on target for either side came in the 14th minute when Rutgers (3-0) forward Stefanie Scholz found herself just outside the six-yard box but Seton Hall keeper Gina Maiorana (Street, Md.) closed down the near post before diving back to her right to parry the elevated shot out of play.
The teams remained deadlocked until the 34th minute when a miscommunication at the back for the Pirates led to a free ball at the edge of the area, allowing Puchalski to run on and send in her first goal of the season after touching it by a rushing Maiorana.
The goal is just the second allowed by The Hall through three contests this season as Seton Hall put together another solid defensive effort against a Scarlet Knights side that entered the contest having out-scored Stony Brook and Vanderbilt by a combined 6-to-1 in season-opening victories.
Shortly after the break, the Pirates worked an opportunity to pull level as junior Amanda Gulli (Toms River, N.J.) fired a shot that was blocked but Frankie Maier (Oradell, N.J.) was there to follow up soon after with an effort that forced Rutgers keeper Casey Murphy into action for the first time.
Gulli and Maier would each attempt one more shot prior to the final horn but The Hall could not find an equalizer.
After Maiorana totaled three stops in the first half, sophomore Illissa Blackshear (West Orange, N.J.) came on to make her collegiate debut in the second, denying to quality opportunities in the final quarter-hour to help keep Rutgers scoreless in the period.
The Pirates will return to action on Monday, September 1 when they return home to host preseason MAAC favorite Monmouth. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. from Owen T. Carroll Field.
