Box Score

AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College women's team ran into one of the top teams around today and dropped a 5-1 decision to the University of Bridgeport in an East Coast Conference Sunday matinee affair at Dimp Wagner Stadium.  Bridgeport, the No. 16 ranked team in the latest National Soccer Coaches of America Association (NSCAA) Division II poll and the No. 3 ranked team in the East Region, improved to 14-1-0 on the season while keeping its unblemished conference record (7-0-0) intact.  Daemen fell back below .500 with the loss (7-8-0) and dropped to 1-7-0 in conference.

All five Bridgeport goals came in the first half.  The Purple Knights showed a patient, calculated attack against Daemen's defensive shell.  They placed nine of their 12 shot attempts on frame in the period.

Danielle Puddefoot scored two goals to lead the way for Bridgeport, book-ending the five markers in the opening period.  She
put the Purple Knights on the board early, registering an unassisted tally in the sixth minute on a high shot from 25 yards out, and later added her 11th goal of the season in the 44th minute.

Amanda Moura, Flo Gamby and Tabea Rauschenberger added single tallies for Bridgeport.  Puddefoot assisted on the goal by Gamby in the 32nd minute, giving her a five-point afternoon.

Daemen got on the board in the second half to avoid the shutout.  Junior Rachael Banasik (Depew, N.Y./Depew) notched her third goal of the season, sending a shot high over UB goalie Jackie Fonesca after a failed clearing attempt by the Purple Knights in the 75th minute.

Julia Hansson picked up her 14th win of the season between the pipes for Bridgeport, making four saves before being relieved by Fonesca in the 67th minute.

Rachel Reichart (Marilla, N.Y./Iroquois Central) went the distance for Daemen and made seven saves in the loss.

Reichart, along with fellow seniors Alexa Amato (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island), Kacey Bougard (East Aurora, N.Y./Sacred Heart), Nicole Brokaw (Freeville, N.Y./Dryden) and Samantha Engel (Dryden, N.Y./Dryden) were honored in a pre-game ceremony before playing in the final home contest of their careers today.

The game was also Daemen's designated ECC "Pink Week" game.  Both teams wore pink accessories on the field and donations were collected in observance of breast cancer awareness month.  All proceeds from today's game will be donated to the Susan G. Komen For The Cure Foundation.

Daemen is back in action with a non-league contest at Alfred University this Wednesday night (Oct. 23, 7 p.m.).  Before that, the Wildcats expect to learn their fate for postseason play.  Bids for the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Championships are expected to be announced via live streaming video at noon on Tuesday (Oct. 22).  Daemen is the defending USCAA national champs and was tied for second in the last USCAA national poll released on Oct. 11.