The Richmond Ivy took the inaugural Brandi Chastain Cup East Coast Semifinal to penalty kicks but ultimately fell 1(4) – 1(5) to the New England Mutiny.
Sarah Rosenbaum scored her second goal on the season — her first at City Stadium — to give the Ivy an early lead but an early second half goal from the Mutiny tied up the match.
The Ivy dominated possession early in the match, even when the Mutiny attempted to string together an attack, Richmond’s defense shut it down, forcing an errant cross inside the box. In the 13th minute, The Mutiny looked to counter, but Sophie Stroud won a pristine tackle at midfield to kill the attack.
The Mutiny were able to create an opportunity that left Lauren Hargrove one-on-one with a New England attacker in the 17th minute. Hargove made the diving save to keep the score even. Her save created a corner, but Hargove scooped up the long shot from the center back and started the Ivy build. Controlling possession and rotating sides of the field through the next two minutes, Woodson eventually found Maci Landel on the wing, who crossed to Berry, taking a strike, but the keeper scooped it up.
Another Ivy attempt in the 20th saw Rosenbaum’s pass find Woodson with a clear path to the goal, but Woodson’s shot went just over the crossbar.
Rosenbaum continued creating though. In the 23rd, she swiped the ball from a Mutiny defender, dribbled into the box, and struck a beautiful, left-footed shot, well out of the Mutiny keeper’s reach, for the first score of the game.
After play restarted, the Mutiny tried to push, but Hargrove controlled her box and snatched a long free kick out of the air. The Ivy would continue to hold control of the match through the first half whistle and into the start of the second half.
In the 61st however, the Mutiny snuck one through the strong defensive performance.
Looking to take the lead back, Rosenbaum pressured New England’s defense, precisely dribbling around defenders to earn her squad a corner kick. The kick was crossed into the box, giving the Ivy a chance to put one on goal, but the header attempt from Dakota Brown sailed just a bit high.
In the 68th minute, Landel controlled the ball in New England’s half and set up an attack, threading a pass through to Flammia that was just barely corralled by the keeper. Flammia won the ball again shortly after and navigated into Mutiny’s side, putting a shot on goal from outside the box that was just barely redirected by the goalie.
The Ivy saw two opportunities to close the match. First, a long ball found Flammia downfield, who, while directing her way through the defense, earned a free kick from just outside the box. Flammia crossed the ball in, and after a deflection, found Nelson, who turned on the ball, but the shot fell just left of the post.
In stoppage time, Woodson made an impressive run into the box, turning on the ball and earning a corner kick. Originally cleared by New England, Flammia crossed a ball into the box, which provided Richmond an opportunity from the corner.
The match went to penalty kicks as the final whistle sounded. The Ivy would miss their third attempt while the Mutiny made all five.
