Northeastern women’s soccer (0-2-1, 0-0 CAA) lost 2-1 against the Providence College Friars (2-0-0, 0-0 Big East) on the Huskies’ senior night Aug. 24. This match was Northeastern’s third of the season, following a tie against the Holy Cross Crusaders and a loss to University of Rhode Island Rams 0-1. 

The Huskies put immediate pressure on the Friars from kick off, pushing into their defensive third and stepping up into their back line. In the third minute, sophomore forward Lughano Nyondo had the first shot of the game, which sailed out to the top right for a goal kick. Three minutes later, senior defender Sabrina Araujo-Elorza sent a corner toward the box, but it was quickly cleared away by the Friars. Providence held strong defensively to prevent threats on goal, and possession continued to move back and forth.

In the 10th minute, freshman midfielder Lily Gibbs took a corner for the Friars that floated toward the far side of the box, but it was headed wide of the net by sophomore forward Kristin Middaugh. 

Providence started to push into Northeastern’s defensive third more as the half progressed. For the next 10 minutes, the ball moved from box-to-box with quick possession changes but no scoring opportunities for either team. 

In the 21st minute, senior midfielder Ella McBride dribbled down the left sideline, beating two Northeastern defenders to drive a ball into the box. The ball deflected twice as Providence tried to find the back of the net, and the play ended in a free kick outside the box for the Friars. Gibbs played a lofted ball toward the center of the box, but it was headed out by Nyondo. Junior midfielder Meg Roden took the first shot on goal of the game, but junior goalkeeper Eliza Teplow made the save.

Four minutes later, Northeastern responded with a long ball from junior midfielder Maddie Aughe, which almost found graduate student forward Bridget Gleason in the box but was intercepted by graduate student goalkeeper Ellie Thallman before she could get a touch. Gleason took a shot on goal a minute later, which she launched toward the center of the goal right back into the hands of Thallman.

In the 27th minute, redshirt freshman forward Amaya Coffie took a chance on a backward volley in the box, which sailed out over the crossbar. Five minutes later, the Huskies sent a threatening ball into the box toward senior forwards Lauren Ahles and Tamara Munoz, but Munoz’s shot was deflected out. Senior midfielder Ava Nace picked up the deflection, but the Friars’ defense blocked her attempt and the ball ended up with Thallman. 

The Huskies continued to put pressure on Providence’s back line, finding gaps in their defense and sending long balls into the box. In the 36th minute, senior midfielder Maggie Cochran sent a ball to Munoz, who ran through the defense to go one-on-one with Thallman. Thallman beat her to the ball in a diving save. A minute later, Araujo-Elorza put a rough tackle onto McBride, receiving a yellow card and granting the Friars a free kick. The kick was sent down the line to McBride, who crossed it into the box. Nace cleared the ball out wide, preventing a scoring opportunity for Providence. 

In the final minutes of the half, the Friars had two dangerous corners but did not convert on either. The first corner curved over and around the players in the box to go out on the opposite side. The second corner was saved by Teplow, who hit it back into the tussle in the box, but the play was stopped by a foul for Providence. Northeastern cleared the ball out on the free kick, and the clock timed out to end the first half at 0-0.

Once the second half kicked off, both teams played with intensity as they fought for the first goal of the game. In the 48th minute, freshman forward Courtnee Pickles sent a shot in from distance for the Friars, which curled toward the far post but went wide for a goal kick. Teplow hit the ball toward the midfield, which found the feet of Aughe for a chip to senior midfielder Lauren Dupont. The ball went out for a throw-in, which Dupont sent down the line to Nyondo for a slicing ball into the box. Gleason sprinted between defenders to tap the cross into the back corner of the net, putting the Huskies up 1-0. This goal put Northeastern in the lead for the first time this season.

The Huskies defended their lead for the next ten minutes. Nyondo drove another shot toward goal in the 54th minute, but it was deflected out by Providence’s defense for a corner. Araujo-Elorza sent the corner soaring toward the back post to find Nyondo again, but the Friars intercepted and cleared the ball toward midfield.

Six minutes later, Pickles sent an aerial ball into Northeastern’s box, and it was headed to the side by freshman defender Lexi Arnott. Coffie intercepted the header and took a shot that was saved by Teplow, but the ball deflected back to Coffie, who sent it inside the far post to tie the game at 1-1.

The speed of play picked up as both sides looked to score again. The Friars gained momentum from their equalizing goal, and the Huskies were eager to regain their lead. 

In the 66th minute, senior midfielder Colleen Casey volleyed a punt from Teplow back into Northeastern’s box, where Pickles was able to take Teplow one-on-one. Pickles tapped the ball past Teplow and passed into an open net to put the Friars up 2-1. 

With just a quarter of the game left, Providence continued to put pressure on Northeastern, keeping the ball primarily in their half. Coffie had another shot in the 68th minute, which ricocheted wide for a corner. The corner knocked around the box, but the play ended with a foul on Providence and a free kick for Teplow. 

Four minutes later, the Huskies managed to bring play back into Providence’s half. Dupont sent a corner to Nace, but the Friars prevented a shot on goal and defended the ball out for a goal kick.

Providence began to play more cautiously to hold its lead as the clock ticked down. Northeastern struggled to push forward against Providence’s defensive line, and possession was back-and-forth in the Huskies’ half. 

In the 76th minute, the Huskies pushed players forward, and freshman defender Ava Gialanella took a long free kick from half. The ball ricocheted close to the box, but rolled toward Thallman for an easy collection.

Aughe sent a long ball toward the net in the 80th minute, which hit the crossbar and dropped down by the goal line. Cochran was positioned in the box and tapped it into the back of the net, colliding with Gibbs and Thallman, who both went down. Northeastern began to celebrate, but the referees indicated that the goal would not be counted. A foul was called against Cochran, leaving the score at 2-1 Providence.

In the final five minutes of the game, the Huskies pushed a final attack into Providence’s defensive third. Gleason drove up the sideline and shot toward the net but sent it high above the crossbar. Cochran followed a minute later with a shot from wide that was deflected out for a corner. Nyondo took the corner, which sailed into the box but was snatched out of the air by Thallman. 

Northeastern played a high press for the final minutes of the game, trying for a last minute equalizer. The Huskies could not find the net, and the game ended 2-1 Providence.

The Huskies will head to Smithfield, R.I. Aug. 28 to face the Bryant Bulldogs (1-0, 0-0 AEC).