UB Women's Soccer Wins 2012 ECC Opener At NYIT, 5-4

Old Westbury, N.Y.-Sophomore Danielle Puddefoot (Slough, England) headed home a free kick from classmate Stephanie D'Andrea (Milford, Conn.) for her fourth goal of the match and seventh of the season with only 2:05 to play in regulation to give the University of Bridgeport women's soccer team a wild 5-4 road win over the NYIT Bears in the 2012 East Coast Conference opener for both teams on Long Island on Saturday afternoon.  UB is now 2-3-1 overall and 1-0-0 in the ECC.  NYIT is now 2-4-0 overall and 0-1-0 in conference play.

The Bears began the game on fire opening up a 2-0 lead just 14:30 in the contest, but the Purple Knights came back to score three goals in a span of 2:44 late in the first half to take a 3-2 lead at the half.  Bridgeport got on the scoreboard at the 38:09 mark of the first half when freshman Julia Navarro (West Haven, Conn.) notched the first goal of her UB career when she hit the back of net off a rebound from a Puddefoot blast. 

After notching an assist on her team's first goal of the day, Danielle Puddefoot would then score her first two goals of the day at the 40:09 and 40:53 marks of play to give UB the halftime advantage.  Her second goal was assisted by D'Andrea.

Puddefoot would then reach the hat trick mark just 3:33 into the second half to give Bridgeport a 4-2 lead.

NYIT then stormed back to tie things up at 4-4 with goals in the 57th and 69th minutes setting up UB's late match heroics off the head off Puddefoot.

Saturday's match wrapped up a season-opening six match road swing for the Bridgeport women's soccer team, who are now unbeaten in three contests. The Purple Knights will open their 2012 home schedule at Knights Field on Wednesday evening (September 19) with an ECC tilt against Queens (N.Y.) College.  Kick-off is set for 6:00 p.m.