Brown Women’s Soccer Triumphs Over Providence College

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Brown University women’s soccer team extended its successful run by defeating the Providence College Friars with a convincing score of 4-0. This victory marks the second consecutive year the Bears have clinched the Crosstown Cup.

Coach’s Insights

Reflecting on the match, Messing Family Head Coach Kia McNeill remarked, “We referred to today’s game as our final ‘dress rehearsal’ before beginning Ivy League play. Our goal was to continue sharpening our strengths and capitalizing on the opponent’s weaknesses, and I think we did exactly that. It was a dominant performance, with four goals from four different players, which speaks volumes about our depth and quality in the final third. Back-to-back 4-0 wins give us great momentum and a real confidence boost heading into Ivy play. We need to keep building on this performance, but if we can consistently show up and play like this, we’ll be a tough team to beat.”

Game Summary

The Bears took control from the outset, registering the first four attempts on goal before the Friars managed to respond. Despite a close call when Friar midfielder Colleen Casey aimed a shot at Brown’s goalkeeper Gurleen Toor, defender Layla Shell intervened, clearing the threat effectively.

Key Goals

The scoring opened with a long-range shot by junior midfielder Joy Okonye, whose precise effort hit the crossbar and found the net following a well-placed pass from Rylee Keeley. This goal gave the Bears a 1-0 lead at halftime, with Brown holding a significant 9-3 edge in shots taken.

In the second half, senior defender Naya Cardoza showcased her offensive prowess by scoring off a corner kick delivered by Brooke Birtwistle. This marked her fourth goal in just three games, positioning her as the leading scorer in the Ivy League with a total of five this season.

Further extending their lead, Ayla Sahin netted her fourth goal of the season in the 72nd minute, capitalizing on a precise assist from Okonye. To complete the scoring for the Bears, junior forward Angelina Vargas found the back of the net with a shot set up by Ella Weil, sealing the match at 4-0.

Match Statistics

• Score: Brown 4, Providence 0
• Shots: Brown 18, Providence 5
• Corner Kicks: Brown 5
• Players Used: 22 by Brown

Looking Ahead

The Bears are set to kick off their Ivy League season this coming Sunday, with an away game against Yale, starting at 4 p.m.

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