STOCKTON SLIPS PAST MUHLENBERG 2-1

Jessica Balnis

Boxscore

Richard Stockton sophomore Jessica Balnis (Dorothy/ Buena) scored the only goal of the second half to snap a 1-1 tie and lift the Ospreys (2-0) to a 2-1 victory over Muhlenberg (0-1) at the Kean University Cougar Classic.

Fellow sophomore Leah Braidi (Vineland/Sacred Heart) scored her first career goal and Stockton goalkeeper Sarah Hinkle (Mullica Hill/Paul VI) made four saves in the victory.

Braidi, who played 10 games last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury, gave the Ospreys an early 1-0 lead on a long blast from about 35 yards away. The marker came just 15:05 into the match. Muhlenberg responded seven-and-a-half minutes later as Nicolette Miller converted a cross from Krissy Fioretti to pull the Mules into a 1-1 tie.

The game remained knotted a one apiece until the 62:25 mark. Balnis tracked down a loose ball that had bounced off the crossbar and scored her second goal in as many games to move Stockton on top 2-1. The tally proved to be the game-winner as the Ospreys held off Muhlenberg and improved to 2-0 in the early season with the one-goal triumph.