Barresi, Women's Soccer Stun Albertus Magnus in GNAC Opener Tuesday Night, 3-2

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Sophomore midfielder Gillian Barresi (Holtsville, N.Y.) picked the perfect time to score her first collegiate goal for the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's soccer team, netting the game-winner with 22 seconds remaining, to stun intrastate and conference rival Albertus Magnus College (AMC), 3-2, in both teams' 2023 GNAC opener on a steamy Tuesday night at the USJ Soccer Field in West Hartford, Conn.

The Blue Jays, who trailed at two separate times and for a combined 68:20 of the 90 minutes in the contest, made some nice halftime adjustments and controlled most of the possession in the second half. It led to three second-half goals, including two from junior midfielder Jenna Zup (Berlin, Conn.) in addition to the game-winner by Barresi, to complete the comeback.

KEY MOMENTS

• The Falcons wasted little time in finding the back of the net, shocking the home crowd with a goal just 1:29 into the match to take an early 1-0 lead. Following a USJ foul deep in the left corner, Albertus Magnus' senior forward Erina Ismaili (Middlebury, Conn.) stepped up to take the free kick and curled a perfect shot from 25-yards out inside the near post and over the outstretched arms of USJ's sophomore starting goalkeeper Chandler Douglas (North Haven, Conn.).
• USJ nearly answered quickly at the 5:03 mark of the first half after sophomore forward Alana Picard (Windsor Locks, Conn.) played a nice through ball up to senior midfielder Jelly Frigo (Hartford, Conn.). With just the goalkeeper to beat, Frigo tried to flick one past, but AMC's sophomore keeper Amy Stevens (Lincoln, R.I.) came charging out to make a nice sliding save.
• The Blue Jays kept the pressure on and had another great scoring chance in the 22nd minute. Zup found graduate student midfielder Elizabeth Garlock (Meriden, Conn.) inside the box and Garlock took a touch before rifling a shot on frame. However, once again, Stevens was there to make another great save.
• The 1-0 scoreline stood for the remainder of the first half, but the Blue Jays came out clicking on all cylinders to start the final stanza. USJ registered the first two shots of the second half in the first six-plus minutes of action.
• The Blue Jays would then breakthrough and level the game in the 53rd minute. Following some nice combination passing, Frigo found sophomore defender Zoe Zappone (Plymouth, Conn.) inside the 18-yard box and she was taken down by a Falcons' defender, awarding the Blue Jays their first penalty kick opportunity of the season. Zup stepped up to take the PK and converted into the bottom-left corner to score USJ's first goal of the 2023 campaign.
• USJ had all the momentum and kept its foot on the gas, recording four more shots on goal over the next 10 minutes of play, but they were all handled by Stevens. However, Ismaili and the Falcons would not back down without a fight. At the 62:51 mark, a bouncing ball from midfield found Ismaili about 35-yards away from goal and she one-timed a wild shot that caromed off the bottom of the crossbar and out of the goal.
• Ismaili would not be denied just 37 seconds later though, and gave the Falcons back the lead at the 63:28 mark of the second half. The visitors gained possession near midfield and played a ball up to senior forward Sophia Vescera (Prospect, Conn.). Vescera flicked a great pass up to Ismaili, who stayed onside, and once again she fired a long-range shot from about 30-yards out on her first touch that sailed over USJ's freshman goalkeeper Madison Corcoran (Bristol, Conn.) into the top-left corner of the net.
• Down 2-1, the Blue Jays kept up their intensity. Some scoring chances were created, but 17 minutes would pass until USJ finally found the equalizer. Once again, the Blue Jays capitalized off a set piece. Zup battled with an AMC defender at the top of the box, just outside the penalty area, before being pushed down and awarded a free kick. Zup took the kick and played it beautifully, curling a shot around the Falcons' wall and off the inside of the right post into the back of the net.
• That setup the dramatic ending to both teams' 2023 GNAC opener. It appeared the match was destined to finish in a draw until the Blue Jays' final offensive trip up the field. Frigo settled the ball in the right corner before playing a pass over to Zappone. Zappone spun with the pass and then laid off a pass to a charging Barresi. With plenty of space in front of her, Barresi launched a shot from 25-yards out with her left foot that was just high enough to deflect off the outstretched hands of Stevens and into the top of the goal, completing the comeback and sending the crowd into a frenzy.

NOTES 

• Overall, the Blue Jays outshot the Falcons, 31-10, in the contest, including 15-5 in shots on goal.
• Zup, Frigo, Garlock and Picard all logged five or more shots in the contest with Picard landing a game-high four on goal.
• The two-goal effort by Zup marked her second career multi-goal game.
• USJ held a slight edge in corner kick opportunities, 4-1.
• Douglas and Corcoran split time evenly between the pipes for the Blue Jays. Douglas got the start and played the first 45 minutes, making two saves against one goal allowed. Corcoran earned her first collegiate victory (1-1-0), playing the final 45 minutes, while making one save and allowing one goal.
• Despite the loss, Stevens (1-1-1) was spectacular in goal for the Falcons all game long. She finished with 12 saves, matching her career-high.
• The Blue Jays are now 3-0-1 against their intrastate and conference rivals in the Jenna Kalwa era over the past three seasons.

UP NEXT

Women's soccer returns right back to its home pitch on Thursday, welcoming intrastate non-conference opponent Connecticut College. Kickoff between the Blue Jays and Camels is currently scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at the USJ Soccer Field in West Hartford, Conn.

FOLLOW
For the latest on University of Saint Joseph Athletics, follow the Blue Jays on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Fans can also download the USJ Front Row Mobile App and subscribe to our Newsletter and Text Alerts. #FearTheFlock #GoBlueJays