WASHINGTON (October 2, 2022) – Howard University women's soccer team lost the battle to the weather and to Sacred Heart (SHU) Sunday afternoon, 5-2, thanks to four second half goals by the Pioneers.
 
The Bison (0-9-1, 0-4 NEC) were hungry for a win with less than five minutes into the match, sophomore defender Rachel Asare (Tampa, Fla.) scored, sneaking in a low, left goal pass Sacred Heart's keeper, 1-0.
 
The Bison held the lead for much of the half before Sacred Heart's Grace O'Hara evened the board, 1-1, by the end of the first period.
 
Both teams were tenacious coming out of halftime, but Howard prevailed, jumping ahead once again when junior defender Saaliyah Brady (Long Beach, Calif.) netted her first goal of the season with help from second-year Bison forward Kyra Bolden (McLean, Va.), 2-1.
 
SHU's O'Hara put the team on her back, evening out the score once again, 2-2. SHU made their way to the goal three minutes later putting the Pioneers up by one, 3-2.
 
With the clock dwindling and a tight score on the board, fouls began to pepper the game. Those final minutes proved hectic for junior goalkeeper Kennedy Jones (Flossmoor, Ill.), facing multiple shots in the short time span.
 
Less than three minutes left on the board, Jackson successfully blocked a Pioneer shot by Morgan Bovardi, but in the right spot at the right time, Sacred Heart's O'Hara seized the opportunity, converting the deflected ball into a hat trick to give SHU a 4-2 lead.
 
In the waning moments, making a beeline to the net, Bovardi added an insurance goal for the Pioneers, 5-2.
 
Jones produced seven saves in the loss.
 
With the win, SHU moved to 6-3-3 (2-0-2) while extending its program-record unbeaten streak to seven matches (5-0-2).
 
The Bison are back in action Thursday, October 6 as they travel to Brooklyn, N.Y., to face conference opponent LIU. Match time is set for 1 p.m.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.