William Paterson University women’s soccer faced the Montclair State Red Hawks at Pioneer Soccer Park, looking to hand the visitors their first loss of the 2025 season.
Coming into the game, the Red Hawks had won two in a row by a combined score of 6-0, while WPU came in riding a three-game losing streak.
In the third minute, Montclair State sophomore forward Isabell Kronow dribbled inside the WPU 18 and sent a ground cross to the back post, where freshman defender Sophia Orellana was running. Thankfully for the hosts, William Paterson junior midfielder Maria Funiciello was there to break up the play, and senior goalkeeper Sarah Mantilla came out and grabbed the ball.
Shortly thereafter, William Paterson freshman forward Ella Aranda received a through ball that played her down the right flank deep in Red Hawk territory. Aranda then dribbled towards the end line before attempting a ground cross. Her cross was blocked by a Red Hawk defender and went out of play, earning William Paterson the game’s first corner kick. On the ensuing corner kick, William Paterson junior forward Isabella Sarra kicked in an out-swinger that was headed away by Montclair State senior midfielder Emily Schuler, but the ball was not completely cleared, and it fell to William Paterson senior defender Olivia Stygar, who shot the ball well wide and high of the net for the hosts’ first shot attempt of the game. 14 minutes in, the Red Hawks got their first shot on goal. Montclair State senior forward Kylie Prendergast strode in from the left flank into William Paterson’s 18 and unleashed a hard shot on the ground that was saved by Sarah Mantilla.
In the 19th minute, the Red Hawks benefitted from the ball going past a William Paterson midfielder and onto the feet of Kylie Prendergast. The senior then played a nifty through ball ahead for Kronow, who beat a defender, went in on goal, and scored with her left foot to put the visitors on top early. In the 25th minute, the Red Hawks made it 2-0 when senior forward Mackenzie Albert tapped in the ball from inside the six-yard box.
Throughout the first half, William Paterson was unable to sustain play because of Montclair’s high press. It seemed like every time a William Paterson player had the ball, two Montclair State players pressured them, and often it ended in a giveaway. On the other hand, whenever William Paterson pressured Montclair State, the latter always emerged with the ball.
In the early goings of the second half, it was more of the same. 12 minutes into the half, Montclair State junior midfielder Shannon Mullins received a ground cross inside the 18 and struck the top woodwork. Not to be denied twice in a row, after a scrum in front of Willy P’s net, the ball popped out to Mullins on the edge of the 18. The junior then put her foot through a shot that was initially saved but rolled off the hands of Mantilla and over the goal line for Montclair State’s third goal of the evening.
After their third goal, Montclair State kept their foot on the gas pedal. A great cross from junior midfielder Madeline Lesica was skillfully headed over Mantilla and into the back of the net by junior forward Gianna Curci to give the visitors a commanding 4-0 lead in the 67th minute.
The visiting Red Hawks put on an outstanding performance against the hosts, limiting William Paterson to just two shot attempts and one shot on goal while unleashing a whopping 20 shot attempts and 13 on goal. Interestingly, in the words of Quidditch instructor Madam Hooch from the Harry Potter film series, it was “a nice, clean game” as only five fouls were committed and no cards were handed out despite it being a rivalry game.
With the win, Patrick Naughter’s Montclair State women’s soccer team remains undefeated in 2025 with a 9-0-4 overall record and a 4-0-1 record against the New Jersey Athletic Conference, while William Paterson slipped to a 6-7-1 overall record and a 1-3-1 record versus the NJAC. Montclair State’s next game is against No. 11 Rowan on Saturday, October 18, while Willy P’s will be another conference matchup against Kean on October 18.
