Box Score 

WAYNE, N.J. – Junior Ali Ruddy (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) scored both goals as the William Paterson women's soccer team (8-6-3, 4-2-2 NJAC) secured a home match for the upcoming New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament with a 2-0 win against Montclair State (8-5-2, 2-4-2 NJAC) on Senior Night Oct. 26 at Pioneer Soccer Park.

William Paterson is fourth in the league standings (14 points) with one match remaining. The top six teams qualify for the NJAC Tournament, with the highest two seeds receiving a bye for first-round matches to be played Saturday, Oct. 31. The third seed will host the sixth seed, and the fourth seed will host the fifth seed, on Saturday. With a victory at Richard Stockton in the regular-season finale Oct. 28, the Pioneers would be the third seed. A loss or tie against the Ospreys would make William Paterson the fourth seed, even if WP was to end up tied with Kean at 14 points, due to league tiebreaker procedures.

Both teams had chances during the opening 45 minutes, despite a 9-2 advantage in shots for the Pioneers. William Paterson sophomore Megan Droelle (Hampton, N.J./North Hunterdon) saw her strike knocked away by a diving Leah Tepperman in the 27th minute, and Pioneer senior goalkeeper Meaghan Baker (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls) charged off her line to snuff out a breakaway attempt by Natalia Sisti five minutes later.

Freshman Michelle Marabondo (Kenvil, N.J./Roxbury) was tripped up just inside the box with 3:03 on the clock, resulting in a penalty kick for the Pioneers. The current NJAC Defensive Player of the Week, junior Ali Ruddy (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) converted to her left, breaking into the scoring column for William Paterson.

Ruddy added to her scoring total 8:32 into the second half, when she ripped a free kick nearly 40 yards into the opposite corner of the frame.

Baker came up big again midway through the second period, stopping successive shots by Stephanie Barbulescu and Zoe Mandaro, and knocked away a Sisti header with three minutes to play.

Baker finished with eight saves for William Paterson, and Tepperman had 11 stops for Montclair State.

Prior to the match, the Pioneers honored their two seniors – Baker and Sam Giancola (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan).