LONG ISLAND ROUGH RIDERS 0, LANCASTER INFERNO 1

HUNTINGTON STATION, NY - The Long Island Rough Riders hosted the Lancaster Inferno at Cy Donnelly Stadium late Sunday afternoon, looking to remain undefeated through their first three games of the season. Unfortunately for the Rough Riders (1-1-1), the Inferno (2-1) would deal them their first UWS East loss of the season and conclude an impressive two-game weekend road trip.

The first half for Long Island featured a lot of missed opportunities as they were the more dominant side but only put one of five shots on target and were called for seven offsides (10 in the entire match). Lancaster were unable to capitalize on the mistakes and the game was 0-0 at the break. The second half opened with a Inferno goal in the 47th minute.

The Rough Riders cleared a cross from the left flank into the box but the clearance landed at the feet of Teresa Rynier. The Lancaster midfielder put her foot through the ball and just past the outstretched arms of Rough Rider goalkeeper Emmalee Mayer (who split time in net with Melissa Guglielmo) for the eventual game-winner.

With less than ten minutes left to play, the skies opened up which caused the game to be delayed in the 84th minute. When the game resumed play, Long Island were unable to create a chance to secure a point at home and the Inferno traveled home with the 1-0 win. The Rough Riders out-shot Inferno by a 10-3 margin but Lancaster keeper Emily Dolan only had to make one save.

Up next for the Rough Riders is an away match against the New England Mutiny this Saturday, June 11th at the East Longmeadow High School (7:00 PM EST). The Inferno will host New Jersey Copa F.C. at Millersville University’s Pucillo Field in the first game of a home-and-home series over the next two weekends this Saturday (6:00 PM EST).

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NEW ENGLAND MUTINY 0, LANCASTER INFERNO 1

EAST LONGMEADOW, MA - The New England Mutiny and Lancaster Inferno faced off at East Longmeadow High School in the rematch of their thrilling encounter on May 22nd, when the Mutiny (2-1) defeated the Inferno by a 3-2 score in eastern Pennsylvania. Lancaster would get their revenge, winning by a 1-0 score on a goal late in the first half from Costa Rican international Carol Sanchez last Saturday night.

In another tight match that saw both evenly-balanced sides battle it out for the full 90 minutes, a well-orchestrated free kick decided the match. As the first half was just about to conclude, the Inferno’s Teresa Rynier assisted on Sanchez’s game-winning volley to give the visitors the victory. The loss was the first for the hosts since the end of last season.

“The women played hard,” said Mutiny Head Coach Joe Abele. “We possessed the ball most of the night but we had one lapse in judgement and Lancaster took advantage of it.”

The match began with a familiar story line that continued from the first encounter between the two sides, as Lancaster forward Katie Hackos would again pester the New England defense. In the 20th minute, the Mutiny would respond with a nice passing sequence of their own, but Deb Nelson’s shot would go just wide of goal.

Rynier would just miss on her own scoring opportunity in the 34th minute, before she set up the Sanchez goal as the first half wound down. The second half would see the Inferno try to get the insurance goal, and would almost get it in the 60th minute, but Mutiny goalkeeper Anne-Marie Ulliac (six saves) tipped Amy Rieker’s header over the cross bar.

In the 68th minute, New England almost tied the match but the interchange between captain Kate Howarth - who came into the game as a substitute in the 30th minute - and Riley Houle would go for naught. The match would end 1-0 in favor of the Inferno, with their goalkeeper Emily Dolan (five saves) pitching the shutout in net for the visitors.

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NEW JERSEY COPA F.C. 3, TSF ACADEMY VALKYRIES 0

WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP, NJ - New Jersey Copa F.C. (3-1-1) kept up their strong run of play against former W-League teams, as they notched their second consecutive shutout victory in a 3-0 stifling of the TSF Academy Valkyries (0-2) on Saturday afternoon. NJCFC had three different players find the back of the net and unleashed the first 10 shots of the game in the opening 18 minutes of play.

“As a coaching staff we are very pleased with how we are improving on a weekly basis,” said Copa Head Coach and Team Owner Roberto Aguas. “We have worked very hard to not only put this team together but bring them up to speed in our possession based style of play which has truly served us well.”

Forward Krystyna Freda buried the game-winner in the sixth minute off an assist from midfielder Jackie Bruno. Freda’s fifth goal (10 points) of the season is good enough to lead all of United Women’s Soccer in scoring. Defender Rebecca Raber scored from distance in the 51st minute while Bruno capped the scoring in the first minute of second half stoppage time.

Providence College’s Kristyn Shea made three saves in goal to preserve the team’s second straight shutout and third of the season. NJCFC extended its consecutive shutout minutes streak to 232 and Shea - the team captain - was tabbed the Ocean Place Resort & Spa/New Jersey Copa F.C. Woman of the Match.

Copa struck early as Bruno slipped a breakaway pass to Freda, who buried her shot from the left side into the bottom right corner. The insurance goal came in the 51st minute when Raber unleashed a blast from the deep right wing into the near upper corner for the 2-0 lead. Bruno got one of her own in the first minute of stoppage time when she delivered a cannon from 30 yards out off the underside of the crossbar and in, out of reach of the TSF keeper Tiffany Martinez (nine saves).

About United Women’s Soccer (UWS): UWS is a national women’s soccer league sanctioned by U.S. Soccer through the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). UWS is a professionally operated league created for teams that meet high minimum standards. The season runs from May until the end of July, culminating in a National Championship match. The UWS player pool is comprised of college players, aspiring & former professionals and international stars. You can follow UWS on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

UWS is managed by EDP, a leading soccer management company that runs a number of leagues and tournaments.  In addition to UWS, EDP operates youth leagues that includes an NPL league, the EDP Super Club program, the EDP Premier League and the EDP Championship League. EDP also runs EDP Futures programs for U-7’s to U-12’s and it conducts more than 20 youth tournaments, including tournaments within its EDP Cup Series and EDP Showcase Series.

Media can contact UWS Director of Communications Jorma Kansanen by e-mail at Press@UWSSoccer.com. You can visit the league’s official website at UWSSoccer.com. Interested team applicants can contact League Commissioner Joe Ferrara by e-mail at Joe@UWSSoccer.com.