MAHWAH, N.J. (September 1, 2019) – Junior Tatiana Nieto recorded two assists as the FDU women's soccer team notched two second-half goals to top Ramapo College 2-1 Sunday afternoon.
 
The Devils improve to 2-0, while Ramapo is now 1-1 on the season.
 
FDU threatened early, taking three corner kicks in the opening 15:21 but were unable to push a goal across. The best opportunity came in the 16th minute when junior Nathalia Gallo sent in a corner kick that Nieto was able to get a head on. The header, however, was snared by the Ramapo goalkeeper.
 
Junior goalkeeper Ashley Paulino made two stops 11 seconds apart midway through the stanza, but off a throw-in, the host Roadrunners broke through in the 23rd minute. Kaelyn Angelucci put Ramapo on top as her shot from the sideline went over a leaping Paulino and gave them the 1-0 edge.
 
FDU pushed for the equalizing goal, but shots by junior Amanda Croce in the 31st minute and Nieto in the 33rd minute rang off of the crossbar. Late in the opening stanza, Ramapo was awarded consecutive corner kicks but were unable to put an additional goal on the board, and the Devils trailed 1-0 entering halftime.
 
Despite trailing 1-0, FDU held a 7-3 edge in shots and a 3-2 advantage in corner kicks.
 
The Devils looked to have scored the tying goal just three minutes into the second period, as senior Nicolette Roberts served in a free-kick. The free-kick glanced off of Croce and found the foot of junior Madeline Finnegan, but Finnegan was ruled offside, so the deficit remained at one.
 
Five minutes later, the Devils persistence paid off, and they leveled the game at one. Nieto sent in a corner kick, and it was Finnegan who rifled a shot past the keeper for her second goal of the season. Ramapo had a chance in the 62nd minute, but Paulino snared a headed ball. Time continued to count down as both sides looked for the goal that would send them to victory. In the 78th minute, junior Erica Martins had an opportunity, but her look sailed just over the crossbar.
 
With 6:47 remaining in the game, the Devils grabbed their first lead of the afternoon. Nieto sent a low pass that sprung senior Erika Pita, and Pita moved in one-on-one on the keeper. The senior fired a low shot into the back of the net for her third goal of the young season. Staked to the 2-1 lead, the FDU defense didn't allow a shot the of the game.