ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. - - The 2025 season started with a bang for the Wilmington University women's soccer team on Thursday, scoring two goals in the second half to come back and defeat nationally ranked No. 17 Adelphi, 2-1, at the RVC Sports Complex on the campus of Molloy University.
It is the third straight year the Wildcats (1-0) have defeated Adelphi on the opening weekend of competition. They won, 2-0, in the 2023 season opener and again, 2-1, against No. 4 Adelphi in the second game of the weekend last season. Thursday was the first win of the NCAA career for first-year head coach Sam Cain as well.
Adelphi came out and controlled the pace in the first half, outshooting the Wildcats, 11-2, in the opening 45 minutes. The Wildcats' Arianna Meyers made four saves in the first half and the Wildcats cleared a ball off the line in the 26th minute to keep it at a 1-0 deficit. Adelphi's goal came on a penalty kick in the 23rd minute.
But it was the Wildcats who came out of the break and put the pressure on. Eboni Bradshaw pounced on a poor pass to the back line by the Panthers in the 48th minute. She was in alone on the keeper, slotting it home on the near side for her first collegiate career goal and tying the game, 1-1.
The next three shots came from the Wildcats as well and then they took the lead with their fourth straight shot. A loose ball in the midfield fell to Bradshaw. She spotted Anneli Donath on a run down the middle and played a perfect through ball to her. She was in on the keeper again, beating her for the 2-1 lead in the 67th minute.
Myers was called upon to make three saves down the stretch and secured all three shots, including a header off a corner as the clock was winding down.
Adelphi outshot the Wildcats, 15-9, in the game, including 8-4, in shots on goal.
The Wildcats are back in action at the RVC Sports Complex on Saturday, facing another team that reached the NCAA Tournament last year in Bentley. The opening whistle is set for 11:00 a.m.