Written by Michael Lewis
UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Jessica Garziano bagged a brace, scoring on either side of halftime, to pace the unbeaten Long Island Rough Riders to a 4-0 victory over Manhattan SC in a USL W League game at Mitchel Athletic Complex on Wednesday night.
Long Island (5-0-0, 15 points) took over the Metropolitan Division lead, as the team outscored its foes, 37-2.playy
Thalia Morisi and Mille Davies added second-half goals against Manhattan (0-5-1, 1).
The Rough Riders swept the season series with Manhattan, after recording an 11-1 road win on May 23.
The final score could have been higher on Wednesday night if it wasn’t for the outstanding of Manhattan goalkeeper Katherine Cornet, who made several vital saves to frustrate the Rough Riders.
Rough Riders goalkeeper Nicolette Pasqurella recorded the clean sheet.
Manhattan’s Esme Brayshaw produced the first serious chance of the game in the seventh minute, when her shot from distance forced goalkeeper Nicolette Pasqurella to make a diving save to her right.
Four minutes later, Cornet returned the favor as she stopped Fiona Killian’s attempt to keep the score level.
Lia Howard almost lifted the Rough Riders the lead in the 14th minute when she latched onto a Paul feed, bolted down the left flank but sent her shot wide right.
Long Island broke the ice in the 19th minute, when Alyse Then sent a left-wing cross to Garziano in the box. The former St. John’s University standout made a move and fired a shot from the far right post that Cornet got a hand on but could not stop the ball from entering the net.
The Rough Riders continued to attack, but could not add to their lead by halftime, whether it was Cornet making saves on Gianna Paul and Garziano, or Garziano booting a penalty kick over the crossbar in the 25th minute or Caroline Nuttall hitting the bar in the 38th minute.
The hosts dominated the second half, but could not solve Cornet, who continued to frustrate the Riders until Garziano struck paydirt in the 72nd minute. This time Howard sent a feed from the left side to the Melville, N.Y. native, and Garziano buried it into the back of the net for her second of the night and fourth against Manhattan this season.
Morisi, who had just come on a minute prior, made it 3-0 in the 77th minute, beating Cornet from close range.
Davies, another second-half substitute, scored a brilliant goal from 30 yards as her shot hit the crossbar and went into the net for the final goal of the encounter in the 82nd minute.
The Rough Riders will visit the Westchester Flames at Skidelsky Field in City Park in New Rochelle, N.Y. on Saturday, June 8 at 8 p.m.
After playing three consecutive road contests, the Riders return home to host Paisley Athletic on Wednesday, June 19 at 7:30 p.m., to start a four-game homestand.