A second half surge helped the Richmond Ivy (2-2-3, 9pts) earn a point at home as they faced division leaders, the Annapolis Blues, snagging a comeback 3-3 draw.

The Ivy started quickly, creating multiple attacks and scoring opportunities in the early minutes.

In the sixth minute, a ball was played into Sophie Stroud, who was set up at the top of the 18. Stroud quickly turned on the ball, sending it just over the crossbar.

When the Richmond defense was tested, they responded well early. In the 14th minute, a long ball put Annapolis on the attack. The Blues’ Riley DeMartino took on Hargrove one-on-one. With DeMartino aiming near post, Hargrove made the diving save to keep the Blues off the board.

A few minutes later, Richmond’s defense made another stand. A cross was sent across the box, directly to the Blues’ left winger. Hargrove stopped the shot, redirecting the ball back into the field of play.

The Ivy built another promising attack in the 22nd minute, as Morgan Oliver controlled the ball at the top left corner of the box and sent a beautiful cross into the box for Taylor Berry, who got a head on it, but the Annapolis keeper was just able to get to it.

Taylor Berry laced a shot from inside the box that missed just inches from the top right corner in the 24th minute.

Annapolis found the back of the net in the 28th and 34th minutes to take a 2-0 lead.

In the 37th, Olivia Woodson was subbed on, and her presence was immediately felt. Within her first minute on the pitch, Woodson turned on the ball inside the 18, sending it just north of the crossbar. Woodson’s shot was set up by a precise dish from Stroud.

Moments later in the 41st, Woodson won the ball in the final third, dribbled closer to the six-yard box, and slotted a pristine shot right past the Blues’ keeper and into the bottom right corner.

Annapolis found another goal in first-half stoppage time.

Early in the second half, Richmond set up an attack, pressuring the Annapolis defense. Woodson drove up the left side, attempting to cross the ball in but earning a corner kick. Gianna Chrapek floated a perfect ball into the box from the corner, finding Taylor Berry in the six. With the captain’s band on, Berry got her head on the ball and sent it right past the Blues’ keeper.

Woodson continued to impact the game throughout the night. In the 51st, she drove down the left side, turning on the ball inside the 18, sending in a pristine shot that beat the Annapolis keeper, but ricocheted off the left post. The Blues responded with an attack of their own, but Richmond’s defense stayed in front of the attacker, forcing a difficult shot that was easily deflected out of bounds by Hargrove.

Back on the attack in the 53rd minute, Woodson found Maci Landel streaking down the right side. Landel dribbled into the 18 and put a shot on frame, despite an Annapolis defender in the area, but the Blues keeper was barely able to get a hand to it.

Richmond continued their claw back into the game.

Sarah Flammia made a remarkable move in the midfield to build an attack and found Landel sprinting toward the baseline on the right wing in the 67th minute. Landel dribbled into the box and put a shot on goal that was barely kept out of the back of the net. Minutes later, Sarah Flammia won the ball and dribbled into the final third, dodging multiple Annapolis defenders. Flammia created space and sent a missile toward the goal. The shot beat the Blues’ keeper and went bar down to even the score at three apiece.

In the 76th minute of a deadlocked match, a perfect cross from Molly Flammia found Berry for another header attempt that bounced on the goal line and seemingly crossed it, but the Blues’ keeper just barely kept it out.

In second-half stoppage time, Molly Flammia crafted another opportunity late in the game, shooting near the top of the box, but the Blues goalie barely stopped it. Richmond continued to attack and earned a corner kick in the final moment, but was unable to connect.

The Ivy return to City Stadium on Saturday, June 14 for Pride Night! Tickets are available now at richmondivy.com/tickets and on Seat Geek!

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