Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Manhattan women's soccer team dropped another one-goal nail biter Friday falling 2-1 to Marist (12-5, 6-0 MAAC) at Gaelic Park. All three goals were scored in the first half, and the decisive goal came only 84 seconds before intermission when Red Foxes' freshman Megan McEnroe notched the first of her career. Junior Aislinn McIlvenny was the goal scorer for Manhattan (4-10, 1-5 MAAC), posting her second of the season in the Jaspers' fifth straight one goal setback.
Marist got on the scoreboard first in the 22nd minute of a physical match. The Red Foxes finally slipped one past Jaspers' goalkeeper Kara Davis who had already made a pair of leaping, highlight reel saves. Red Foxes' junior midfielder Alycia Cartica finished a corner kick on the goal line with her right foot placing it in the upper left to jump ahead of Manhattan.
The resilient Jaspers did not go away easy as they immediately went on the attack to post the equalizer. Junior back Shannon Barry just missed on the Jaspers' first opportunity only three minutes later as she sent a header slightly high of the crossbar off a corner kick by senior Sara Jones.
Then in the 34th minute, Manhattan's pressure on the offensive end created a prime opportunity that McIlvenny took advantage of. She gained control of a rebound off a blocked shot from teammate Martine Diamond. McIlvenny's first shot on net was saved by Marist goalkeeper Andrea Wicks, but she regained possession and found a seam in front of the goal to fire a point blank shot into the right side.
Despite a hard-fought effort to bring the tie into the locker room for halftime, Manhattan couldn't keep Marist from scoring a second time. With 43:34 on the clock, McEnroe converted a shot from approximately 18 yards out, placing it in the top right corner that gave the Red Foxes a 2-1 edge.
Manhattan created a few good opportunities in the second half, but could not capitalize. In the 54th minute, McIlvenny's free kick from about 15 yards was blocked by a Marist wall of defenders. Less than one minute remaining, the Jaspers tested Wicks a final time on Jones' free kick from the right side of the goal. McIlvenny came up with the ball during a scramble in front of the net, and then got a shot off that was saved by Wicks. It was her third save of the match.
Davis stopped nine shots playing all 90 minutes. Marist registered 23 shots in the match to Manhattan's 10 attempts.
The Jaspers play their final home game of the season on Sunday against Siena. Manhattan will honor its seven graduating seniors in a pregame ceremony that begins at 9:40 a.m. Kick off with the Saints is set for 10 a.m. at Gaelic Park.
