LEADING FROM THE BACK
It’s no coincidence that the Rider women’s soccer team emerged as a MAAC power with senior Bethany-May Howard in goal.
The Glastonbury, England native is an awards machine, as she picked up her third MAAC Defensive Player of the Week of the season last week. Howard made seven saves in the Broncs’ 2-1 win over Quinnipiac in their conference opener.
She has won the award nine times in her career and was also on the MAAC All-Rookie Team as a freshman. As a sophomore, she won the 2014 MAAC Championship MVP in helping Rider to the tournament title and an NCAA berth. Howard is a two-team AllMAAC and All-MAAC academic pick, and her 16 career shutouts are a school record.
Just don’t ask her to take all the credit for what she has done. Howard is the first to admit that because actual statistics can be applied to her position on defense, it puts her more in the limelight.
“I feel confident in the way I’m playing, but the defenders deserve massive credit for our performances so far this season, and across all the years I’ve been here,” Howard said. “Heather Maierle, in particular, has been our defensive player of the year in every season we’ve been here but her job often goes unrecognized, whereas mine is often over-emphasized due to stats.
“The whole back line is incredible. I think we have the best defense in the league. But the defending also starts from the front. If we didn’t have our forwards who press the way they do and our midfields who track the runners and protect the back line, then the whole team would crumble. Soccer is truly a team sport, so whatever success the team or individual has, owes a lot to the efforts of all 25 players.”
All true, but that does not diminish the fact that great teams need great goalies. Coach Drayson Hounsome has repeatedly stated he feels Howard is one of the best in the nation.
At Bridgewater College — technically her final two years of high school in England — Howard was two-time England Colleges National Team goalkeeper and was a two-time Player of the Year for Somerset. She was the 2012 Bridgewater College Player of the Year.
While playing for England Colleges, a representative from Pass4Soccer — a U.S. Soccer scholarship placement service — talked to the team members about playing in the U.S.
“He made me realize that going to the USA to play soccer could be a real option for me,” Howard said. “I wanted to be able to combine getting a university degree and soccer, so coming out here seemed ideal. Coach Hounsome contacted me via the Pass4Soccer network and I really liked what he had to offer; and the location of Rider being so close to New York and Philadelphia also seemed really cool.”
Howard played one half of every game as a freshman and forged a 2.17 goals against average. On the field, she quickly noticed that she wasn’t in England anymore.
“A big difference is that there’s a larger emphasis on the physicality of the game and being an athlete; whereas in England there’s a larger focus on your actual playing ability,” she said. “Our coach is actually from the Channel Islands so his approach is more like the English one I’d say. The skill level of university soccer is definitely higher over here because players get to train and play every day, which obviously is great for improving and developing as a young player.”
As a sophomore, Howard played every minute in all but two games and was spectacular. She had a 0.96 goals against average, an 8.53 save percentage and six shutouts. In a 1-0 MAAC semifinal game at Monmouth she made nine saves in a 1-0 victory, and had eight saves in a 1-0 loss at Washington in the NCAA tournament.
Last year an injury-riddled Broncs team fell in the MAAC semifinals but Howard was still outstanding with a 0.98 goals against average and 7.5 shutouts. This past summer, she continued playing for Yeovil in the Women’s Super League in England, which helps sharpen her game.
“It was very challenging playing for Yeovil because they play in such a high division with very experienced and very talented players,” Howard said. “Being lucky enough to have the opportunity to play with such a great club definitely helps grow my confidence, which is massive for a goalkeeper as I’m able to see myself playing at that level successfully. The experience of the players around me helps to improve too.”
Howard suffered a tough start to this season, allowing four goals to nationally ranked Rutgers. Since then she has yielded five goals in eight games as Rider takes a 4-2-2 record into Saturday’s MAAC game with Canisius.
Howard and her fellow seniors are women on a mission after last year’s disappointing finish.
“It was horrible losing in the semis last year but we know that realistically we were held back by a lot by injuries,” she said. “Luckily we’ve got a much deeper squad this year with minimal injuries — touch wood — so we’re making no secret of the fact that we’re entering this year looking to win the MAAC Tournament again. We’re an experienced and talented team who has felt both victory and defeat and we know which one we want back this year and we’re confident we can get it.” Mercer suffered its first loss of the season in a big way on Wednesday, Sept. 14 when it dropped an 8-0 decision to ASA, N.Y. at Wagner College. ASA is ranked No. 6 in the NJCAA Division I national rankings.
The Vikings bounced back in an equally big way on Saturday, taking an 11-0 victory over Lackawanna in their Region 19 opener. Janine Dennis continued her torrid scoring with four goals and an assist. In just four games, Dennis has 11 goals, which ties her for 10th in the nation in Division I.
Giselle Chica added two goals, giving her six for the season, while Lawrence High grads Ashley Dindinger and Sydney Hunt each scored the first goals of their collegiate career. Goalie Shaunice Palms authored the shutout. Despite being touched for eight goals against ASA, Palms also had 19 saves in the match.
Mercer carried a 6-1 record into Wednesday night’s home game with Essex.
Princeton put its perfect record on the line against the No. 2 team in the nation Friday, but couldn’t come up with a signature win as host West Virginia took a 3-0 victory while out-shooting the Tigers 20-9. The game was scoreless for 40 minutes until the Mountaineers took the lead and tacked on two second-half goals.
The loss did not hurt Princeton’s RPI, which only slipped from 33 to 34.
Princeton (7-1) headed up to Pittsburgh for a Sunday match with Duquesne and took a 2-1 win over a Dukes team that was unbeaten in its previous three games. Tyler Lussi scored on a penalty kick for her 51st goal, making her the Ivy League’s highest scoring player since 1988.
The Tigers open defense of their Ivy title Saturday when they start league play at Yale.
If you want to beat Rutgers, you better do it early.
The No. 22 Scarlet Knights opened Big Ten play with a 1-0 victory over Maryland Friday, as Nicole Whitley scored on a free kick 10 minutes into the match. RU did not need another score as it improved its record to an incredible 54-2-3 when leading at halftime since 2008.
Whitley was named the Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week for her goal. The Freehold product is tied for the team lead with 10 points and leads the conference with 10 assists.
Rutgers (6-1-1, 1-0) conclude a six-match homestand with B1G matches against Northwestern Friday and Illinois Sunday.
The College of New Jersey won its New Jersey Athletic Conference opener handily, taking a 7-0 win over William Paterson. Three different freshmen scored goals, including Princeton High graduate Haley Bodden.
The Lions carried a 3-0-1 record into Wednesday’s match with FDU-Florham, and return to NJAC play Friday at New Jersey City.