NEW JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The Manhattanville University women's soccer team hit the road for the first time in the young fall season on Tuesday evening, succumbing to a pair of late goals in a 4-2 loss at New Jersey City University. The loss drops the Valiants to 0-2-0 to begin the year in the non-conference slate, while the Gothic Knights are off to a 3-0-0 start to its season.

What looked to be a defensive battle through the opening 45 gave way to a shootout in the later stages as the teams recorded all six tallies across the latter 40 minutes of play. The Gothic Knights dominated possession in the opening half, outshooting Manhattanville 14-1 but could only put three shots on target. Senior netminder Macey Girard (Branford, Conn./Branford) handled the early opposition with her first three saves of the affair to keep the game scoreless into the intermission.

Drita Tinaj (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) accounted for the Valiants' lone shot attempt in the stanza, riffling off a shot that was blocked by a Gothic Knight defender 14 minutes in to the contest.

Whatever the halftime discussion was got both attacks clicking as the home team broke the scoreless tie in the 52^nd minute on the Gothic Knights' second shot of the half as Gabriella Cardona put NJCU on the board. Manhattanville wasted little time mounting a response, as the team's first shot on target of the game a minute and a half later found paydirt. Tinaj set up Alessia Cioffi (Pawling, N.Y./Pawling) with a pass that the birthday girl buried into the lower left corner to bring the game even at 1-1 in the 53^rd minute.

With Jersey City continuing to dominate the chances, outshooting the Valiants 17-2 over the final 45, Manhattanville was able to make the most of its limited opportunities by taking the lead in the 64^th minute. Johanna Gibson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Edward R Murrow) scored the first of her sophomore year and third goal of her collegiate career, beating Gothic Knight keeper Sophia Mannino to the spot to give Manhattanville its first lead of the year with 26 and a half minutes to go.

The Gothic Knights' relentless attack paid dividends as NJCU pulled even in the 68^th minute courtesy of Nyrohah Alvarenga. Manhattanville would be held without another shot over the remainder of play, while NJCU continued to work down the Valiants' back line. A Jess Digristina penalty kick goal accounted for the game-winning tally in the 84^th minute before NJCU tacked on an insurance tally from Alvarenga with five minutes left to play.

Girard finished the night with seven saves, making it back-to-back contests to open the year she made seven stops. The senior eclipsed 250 career saves with Tuesday's performance, becoming just the eighth keeper in program history to reach that milestone and the first since Dolores Diemicke in 2014.

Corners ended with an even 4-4 margin. While NJCU was whistled for 16 fouls compared to Manhattanville's nine, the Valiants were assessed two yellow cards and a red in the loss.

Up Next
The Valiants will look to break into the win column on Saturday when the team returns to New Jersey to take on Ramapo at 1 p.m.

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