Rumbold’s Free Kick Lifts ‘Cats over Warriors

Friday, August 30

Burlington, Vt.

4:30 PM

University of New Hampshire

2-1-0, 0-0-0

Merrimack

0-2-0, 0-0-0

Merrimack

New Hampshire

Megan Rumbold (Photo by Helene Bartsch)

Photo by: Helene Bartsch

8/30/2019 6:41:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

The senior defender tallied her first career game-winning goal.

BURLINGTON, Vt. – Senior back Meghan Rumbold (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) scored on a free kick from about 25 yards out in the first minute of the second half, as the University of New Hampshire women's soccer team came from behind to defeat Merrimack College by a score of 3-1 on Friday afternoon.

Rumbold's goal gave the Wildcats the lead after the game was tied 1-1 at halftime. The other two Wildcat goals were tallied by freshman Whitney Wiley (Vienna, Va.) and senior Ally Reynolds (Weymouth, Mass.); Wiley's to tie the game halfway through he first, and Reynolds scored in the 61^st minute to give the 'Cats some insurance.

UP NEXT:
The Wildcats will stay in Burlington, Vermont for their final game of the 2019 TD Bank Classic, against North Dakota State on Sunday, September 1 at 3:30 P.M.

GAME INFORMATION:
Date: August 30, 2019
Location: Virtue Field – Burlington, Vt.
Score: UNH 3 (2-1-0), Merrimack 1 (0-2-0)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

New Hampshire pressured early in the game with a potential goal called off due to offsides, along with two shots all within the first two minutes: one on goal from Liz Lane (Porter, Maine), one just over the crossbar from Kaylan Williams (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Merrimack would pressure back and struck first in the 10^th minute as a corner kick bounced around the box, unable to be immediately controlled by either team, and it snuck through the defense off the foot of Merrimack's Erin Tyldesley.
The Warriors would ride that momentum and tally three more shots in the 15^th and 16^th minutes but the UNH defense bounced back, as two of the shots were blocked, one went high.
New Hampshire answered back in the 25^th minute as UNH possessed the ball right in the goalmouth; Merrimack held off the attack for some time, blocking any shot attempts from being made, but Whitney Wiley was in perfect position in front of the net to receive the ball and float it over the goalkeeper's head.
UNH opened the second half with a free kick in the 49^th minute from about 25 yards out. Megan Rumbold took the free kick and sailed it over the keepers head for the go-ahead goal.
Rumbold had another chance at points on a free kick from the right side of the 18 inthe 58^th minute. She played a perfect ball into the box to Kaylan Williams, who made a very good header shot but the ball bounced off the crossbar, down and out, to be cleared.
UNH kept the pressure on and in the 61^st minute, a long ball from Williams to Whitney Wiley who collected it on the endline and attempted a cross into the box. It was deflected out to senior Ally Reynolds, who was able to instantly fire a shot from the top of the box and into the upper left corner of the net.
The Wildcats almost tallied a fourth goal with Francesca Picicci (North Massapequa, N.Y.) driving down the left sideline and sending a cross into the box to Julie Cane (Titusville, N.J.). Cane headed the ball on net and it went over the keeper, but similar to William's header earlier in the half it bounced off the crossbar, down, and out.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

New Hampshire led in total shots and shots on goal, 22-10 and 9-4, respectively.
Sophomore 'keeper Cat Sheppard (Nesconset, N.Y.) stopped three of four Merrimack shots on net in the game.
UNH held the Warriors to no shots on goal and no corner kicks in the second half.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

Megan Rumbold tallied her third career goal in the contest and her first career game-winner. All three of Rumbold's career goals came on free kicks to either tie the game or give UNH the lead.
- 10/5/17 vs. Maine – Three seconds left in regulation, 35 yards out to tie the game, UNH would go on to win in overtime.
- 9/9/18 at Northeastern – 88^th minute, 35 yards out to tie, game ended in a draw
- 8/30/19 vs. Merrimack @ Vermont – 49^th minute to lead, 25 yards out, game-winning goal
Whitney Wiley tallied her team-leading third goal of the season to tie the game.
Cat Sheppard now holds a 2-1-0 record in her first three career starts, with a .833 save percentage and 0.66 GAA.