Entering its third to last game of the season, Marquette women’s soccer (5-10-3, 2-5-1 Big East) and Providence (6-9-1, 3-5 Big East) had both won just one of its last five games. The only difference? The Friars won their previous game against Xavier, and the Golden Eagles’ last win was five games ago against St. John’s: the only team below them in the conference standings.
Providence had all the momentum, but Marquette shrugged.
With four goal reviews, two set piece goals and six saves from sophomore goalkeeper Charlotte Huggard in her first career start, the blue and gold notched their second Big East win of the season 2-1 over the Friars.
“The Big East is absolutely crazy on any given day,” head coach Chris Allen said. “I think that’s what I enjoy so much about this league. We knew that we could put forth a really good 90 minutes, keep our focus, keep our mentality, keep our energy high, that we’d give ourselves a chance.
“I couldn’t be more proud of what we did defensively against a very talented team tonight.”
Set piece season
It was a battle of offenses at the beginning of the match.
The shot-for-shot duel was highlighted by freshman defender Kiara Clarke searching for her first career goal in the 14th minute.
At the top left corner of the box, Clarke took a rip which curved towards the top left corner of the goal, but Providence goalie, Emma Bodmer punched the attempt up and over the net.
19 minutes later, junior forward Josie Bieda took a foul which gave Marquette a free kick just outside the box. Senior midfielder Tess O’Connell took the shot, it hit the crossbar and Bieda tapped it past Bodmer who dove preemptively.
Halftime | MU – 1 | PC – 0
Josie Bieda’s third goal of the season and seventh her career is the difference at the half. pic.twitter.com/6GmSO73bpK
— MARQUETTE Soccer (@MarquetteWSOC) October 25, 2024
The goal went under review, but stood.
“Previously, we just weren’t executing and they (the opponent) were winning the big moments,” Allen said. “Tonight, I felt we won the big moments. We had lots of reviews and whatnot, but we attacked the ball in the air in a way we haven’t in the past, and I think it led to good goals tonight.”
In the last minute of the first half, Huggard notched her first two saves of her Marquette career.
“Communication was the biggest piece. Calling out numbers to my center backs and outside backs,” Huggard said. “We had a lot of new teammates on the back line tonight and we all collaborated very well. Communication between all the five of us was key.”
A shot in the 46th minute by the Golden Eagles and one by the Friars in the 62nd would be reviewed—both being disallowed.
One minute after the Providence shot, senior forward Julia O’Neill fouled in the box and gave Friar junior forward Ella McBride a penalty kick. Despite Huggard’s clean performance so far, she couldn’t stop this one and it tied the match 1-1.
With an even game, it was all hustle from both teams and Providence made multiple quick attacks off switches and interceptions. But neither squad could get a shot. That was until Marquette got another set piece.
On a corner kick in the 68th minute, the punt was faked and a short pass was fed to senior midfielder Maggie Starker. She brought it towards the net and chipped it in that direction. O’Connell gave her signature move and headed it in for her sixth goal of the season.
75′ | MU – 2 | PC – 1
O’Connell’s team-leading sixth goal of the year gives MU lead for second time. pic.twitter.com/MN4faI9raH
— MARQUETTE Soccer (@MarquetteWSOC) October 25, 2024
“Finding vertical channels and then keeping calm when it (the ball) was right next to us and coming at us hard. Front smother and staying on the ground as much as possible. All that was really important for us,” Huggard said.
For the remaining 22 minutes, Providence outshot Marquette 5-1, but could never get a clean shot that wasn’t directly at Huggard or far over the net.
Road to the Big East Tournament
Marquette is currently five points away from sixth position in Big East standings—the lowest position that gets a spot in the Big East Tournament. Its last two games are against against second place Xavier (13-2-2, 6-1-1) at home Sunday and at ninth place Seton Hall (4-10-3, 1-5-2) Thursday. It’ll have to win one and tie the other to have a chance at clinching a spot in the tournament.
“We need to get three points to keep ourselves in the conversation,” Allen said. “There’s going to be all sorts of things that probably have to happen, but at this point, we’re just gonna enjoy it and celebrate our seniors on Sunday.”
This recap was written by Ben Hanson. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter/X @benhansonMU.
