Uniondale, N.Y. – The Rough Riders kept rolling at home against NJ Copa FC in USL W League action taking the 7-0 win Sunday afternoon at Mitchel Field Complex.
The Rough Riders needed a win to stay at the top of the table as Morris Elite beat the Cedar Stars on Saturday. NJ Copa was looking for another positive result on the season, having one win through six games.
Long Island dominated possession through the first 15 minutes, but were unable to break through NJ Copa’s back five. A mistake by NJ Copa opened the door though as they fouled a player in the box as Long Island forward Luciana Setteducate drew a foul in the box setting up a penalty kick. Setteducate took the kick and buried it left side giving the Rough Riders a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute.
The first goal opened the floodgates and the Rough Rider offense kicked into gear. In the 21st minute, Long Island forward Micala Boex dribbled down the right side, and put in a lofty shot that deflected off the left corner of the cross bar and rebounded right into the lap of Setteducate crashing the net who put in the rebound doubling the lead, 2-0.
Two minutes later, Boex received a long pass timing her run to stay just on-side. She dribbled into the left side of the box, and passed to a wide open Mallory Anderson who scored from near the penalty spot giving the Rough Riders a 3-0 lead.
The NJ Copa defense stiffened the remaining 20 minutes and the game went into half 3-0.
The Rough Riders came out of the half on fire scoring in the first minute. Long Island defender Anderson’s long pass found midfielder Kayleigh Goodrich streaking down the left sideline. She dumped the ball to Setteducate who buried her shot in making the score 4-0 in the 46th minute.
Boex drew a foul in the box in the 51st minute giving the Rough Riders another penalty kick. Boex took it herself and scored, bringing the game to 5-0.
In the 59th minute, Long Island forward Chloe Shimkin took a corner for the Rough Riders. Shimkin’s tall cross found defender Kayla Pardini and she headed in the goal, scored her first goal of the season and moving the score to 6-0.
The final goal of the game was scored by Setteducate again in the 65th minute. Setteducate dribbled the ball into the box, before getting dispossessed. Goodrich got the ball back, passed to Setteducate who lasered in the shot into the top right corner creating the final score of 7-0.
Long Island keeper Ava Voynovich got the start and gets her first clean sheet of the season, with the assistance of the starting center backs Pardini and Isabella Calabro.
With the win, Long Island draws even on points with Morris Elite for first place, but goes ahead on goal differential with three games remaining in the season. NJ Copa remains with three points in fifth place.
The Rough Riders next USL W League game is away on June 22 at 7:30 PM traveling to Harvey Field Complex in Kearny, N.J.
For more information on both the men’s and women’s teams, visit www.LIRoughRiders.com.