Maddie Fritsch’s goal lifts University girls soccer over Bridgeport, 1-0
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BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. -- More often than not, when the University girls soccer team has scored off of a corner kick, it is via the combination of Lauren Goodenow sending it into the box to Maddie Fritsch.
In fact, Fritsch believes it happened four times last season. And now, it has happened multiple times this season, including on Thursday at Bridgeport.
At the 47-minute mark, the Hawks broke the scoreless tie as Goodenow took a corner kick from the right side. Fritsch was in the box and met the ball with a header that snuck in the left post for the Hawks' goal.
It was all the Hawks needed in their 1-0 victory over Bridgeport in the Indians’ final regular season contest.
“Basically, Lauren serves really good crosses,” Fritsch said. “I try to make a run in, put my head on it and managed to do it this time. It’s a good cross, good header, and the ball went in the right spot.”
It was one of nine shots on goal for the Hawks, who outshot the Indians 9-1.
“We thought we did,” University coach Graham Peace said. “I’ll have to watch the film, but I thought we controlled possession. I know we certainly outshot them. They’re tough though, they play hard. They come at you. They don’t give you any any time or space; they’re a great team to play. This will be good for helping us get ready for playoffs, and hopefully, good for them to get ready for the playoffs as well.”
That equated to eight saves for Bridgeport goalkeeper Macie Dotson.
“She had one or two that I wouldn’t even say were tough saves. She had to make sure she got down on the ball, but they weren’t from point blank from the standpoint of great breakaways,” Bridgeport coach Keith Dumas said. “Like I said, our defense did a really nice job of keeping them in front of us and not letting them get behind us and work the ball back across the box.”
University's Goodenow had two opportunities in the final seven minutes of the first half, first on a shot from the right side of the box. A bit later, she was awarded a direct kick from the 32-yard line, but each shot was saved by Dotson.
Late in the first half, Fritsch's shot from the right side of the 18 turned out to be Dotson's fifth save of the match.
Bridgeport was held without a shot on goal in the first half. University took five shots on goal in that half.
“From a midfield stance, they totally dominated our midfield, especially the first half, and we couldn’t get possession from them,” Dumas said. “They kept it away from us pretty well. I thought we did a really nice job in our final third, defensive third, of not allowing them to get clean shots on goal. They scored on a set piece, but that happens. But they didn’t really have a clear chance where they got behind our defense or took a shot that Macie couldn’t handle relatively easily in there.”
After scoring what turned out to be the only goal of the match via a corner kick, the Hawks threatened again with another corner kick from Goodenow from the same side of the field.
It went to the foot of Libby Murray, whose kick from the box was narrowly wide right.
Dotson's seventh save of the match came from a deep free kick from the 42-yard line that traveled near the left post, where Dotson made the save.
Bridgeport will now await its postseason seeding, opponent, time and location. University travels to George Washington at 11 a.m. Saturday.