Zup Brace Helps Women's Soccer to Win Over New England College Saturday, 5-1

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Junior midfielder Jenna Zup (Berlin, Conn.) recorded her second brace of the week to help the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's soccer team get back into the win column, defeating the visiting New England College (NEC) Pilgrims, 5-1, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference contest held at the USJ Soccer Field in West Hartford Saturday afternoon. With the result, the Blue Jays improve to 2-2-0 overall and start 2-0-0 in GNAC play for the first time since 2017, while the Pilgrims dip to 0-3-1 overall and 0-2-0 in conference action.

KEY MOMENTS 

• The match started with most of the play in the middle of the field over the opening nine minutes, until NEC struck first with the game's opening goal at the 9:34 mark. The Pilgrims played a ball into the far-right corner and crossed one into the 18-yard box which drew USJ's freshman goalkeeper Madison Corcoran (Bristol, Conn.) off her line. A USJ defender made a play on the ball and Corcoran got a hand on it, but before she was able to fully corral it, NEC's junior midfielder Darian Taylor (Hudson, N.H.) was able to toe-poke a shot into the empty net.
• USJ wasted little time finding the equalizer, levelling the game at 1-1 just 3:21 later. Sophomore Alana Picard (Windsor Locks, Conn.) gathered a loose ball and slipped a great through ball up to junior forward Kelsi Ursini (Groton, Conn.). With just NEC's sophomore keeper Hollie Bomba (Seymour, Conn.) to beat, Ursini's initial shot was saved, but she was able deposit the rebound to even the score at the 12:55 mark of the opening half.
• The Blue Jays then registered what would serve to be the game-winner just over a minute's time later. Senior midfielder Jelly Frigo (Hartford, Conn.) curled a cross from the right side to the top of the six-yard box, and Zup came flying in, finishing with a diving header into the top-right corner of the net to make it 2-1 at the 13:57 timestamp.
• Saint Joseph kept the pressure on and tallied its third goal within a five-minute span at the 17:56 mark. After settling a cross-field pass on the left wing, Picard drove hard back to the middle of the field, beating a NEC defender and finding some space, before rifling a shot into the upper 90 for her first career goal in a Blue Jays' uniform and to push USJ's lead out to 3-1 heading into halftime.
• The Blue Jays picked up right where they left off the first half in the second stanza, netting their fourth goal of the match in the 52nd minute. Picard slowed down a ball played into the left corner, turned back up field, and crossed one in with her right foot. A NEC defender attempted to play it in the air and clear it away, but the attempt popped straight up, and Zup was there to muscle her way in and head a shot past a diving Bomba.
• USJ tacked on an extra insurance goal in the 76th minute via an own goal by the Pilgrims off a Blue Jays' corner kick to account for the 5-1 final margin of victory.

NOTES

• The Blue Jays outshot the Pilgrims overall in the match, 22-5, including 12-4 in shots on goal.
• Ursini logged a game-high six shots and Zup had four. They had three and two shots on goal, respectively.
• Zup finished with four points in the victory for the Blue Jays. It marked her third career multi-goal game.
• Picard registered a goal and an assist for a three-point match.
• USJ held a slight edge in corner kick opportunities, 6-2.
• Corcoran played the full 90 minutes between the pipes for the Blue Jays. She earned the win (2-1-0) and finished with three saves against four shots on goal.
• Bomba also played the full time in goal for the Pilgrims. She was dealt the loss (0-2-0) and stopped seven of the 12 shots on goal faced.

UP NEXT

Women's soccer will look to keep it rolling when it returns to action next on Wednesday, September 14 for its first road contest of the 2023 season, traveling to newcomer to the GNAC, Mitchell College. Kickoff of the intrastate conference match between the Blue Jays and Mariners is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Alumni Field in New London, 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