Four Shutout Wins for Women's Soccer in Season Openers

8/29/2014 9:28:00 PM

Nazareth 3, Allegheny 0
Nazareth defeated visiting Allegheny 3-0 in a women's non-conference soccer game Friday afternoon. Junior Briana Vibbard opened the scoring in the third minute of action, and classmate Danielle Wilkin added another first-half goal. Grad student Christine Belding secured the victory with her first goal of the season with just under 14 minutes left to play in the second half. It was the season-opener for both teams.

Vibbard's scoring opportunity was set up by sophomore Michaela Soules, who played a through ball ahead of Vibbard. After beating the Gators' defender to the ball, Vibbard dribbled into the Allegheny box toward the left side, which forced the Gators' goalie to come out of the goal. Vibbard tapped the ball to the left around the keeper, then converted the scoring chance with a shot into the open net.

The Golden Flyers took advantage of a corner kick opportunity on their second goal. Belding sent the corner into the middle of the Allegheny penalty area where freshman Sarah Conroy was able to redirect the ball toward Wilkin. Wilkin found the back of the net to double Nazareth's lead. Following a scoreless opening 30 minutes of the second half, Belding stretched the lead to three. After receiving a pass from the left wing, Belding maneuvered through the Gators' penalty area and hit the left post with her initial shot. She quickly tapped the rebound past the goal line.

Junior Mackenzie Dunphy recorded six saves to earn the shutout for Nazareth. Gabby Curtis was credited with two saves in Allegheny's net. The Golden Flyers' defense held the Gators' 2013 leading scorer, Jessie Thiessen, to just one shot on goal. Nazareth finished with a 16-8 advantage in total shots.

Ithaca 1, Kean 0
The No. 5 Ithaca College women's soccer team opened the season with a win Friday night, as the Bombers defeated Kean by a score of 1-0 in the first game of the Cougar Classic.

Junior Kelsey King scored the only goal Ithaca would need, as fellow junior Beth Coppolecchia turned away all five shots she faced for the shutout victory. The Bombers outshot Kean by a total of 12-9, and held a 9-2 advantage in corner kicks.  

King scored Ithaca's first goal of the 2014 campaign in the 34th minute, sending a shot past the Kean goalkeeper from 10-yards out. Coppolecchia was perfect in opening half as she stopped the only shot on goal in the first 45 minutes of play. Coppolecchia held strong in the second, turning away four more shots for the opening day victory. 


St. John Fisher 2, St. Mary's College (MD) 0
The St. John Fisher College women's soccer team won its season opener on Friday, as the Cardinals scored two second-half goals to beat host St. Mary's College of Maryland.

Fisher took the lead for good in the 74th minute, as sophomore Taryn Guinta scored off a pass from freshman Jackie Romano.  Just over five minutes later, the duo would work their magic again with Guinta scoring her second of the day to put Fisher up 2-0.

Senior goalie Brooke Seavitt stopped four shots to earn the shutout for Fisher.


Houghton 3, Westminster 0
Senior Stephany Ellison picked up where she left off a year ago, scoring all three Houghton goals in a 3-0 season opening win over Westminster on Friday.

After a scoreless first half, Ellison tallied goals in the 54th, 76th and 88th minutes. Tahsha Keith, Sarah Gabriele and Nikki Garns assisted on Ellison's goals.

Houghton held a 13-1 advantage in shots. Starting keeper Shawna Sprout did not have to make any stops in recording the shutout.


Messiah 4, Stevens 0
The Stevens Institute of Technology women's soccer team was shutout by nationally ranked No. 9 Messiah College, 4-0, at the DeBaun Athletic Complex on Friday evening. 

Stevens trailed, 2-0, after the first half of play on a pair of Messiah goals less than 1:20 apart. Messiah's first goal came off a free kick down in the left corner that was knocked away from junior Evelyn Ting. Regina Stump sent the service into the middle of the box to Macaulay Soto, who won the battle with Ting and forced the loose ball over the goal line.

The Falcons came right back down the field after play resumed and Erin Sollenberger put Messiah up, 2-0, on a long distance shot after she beat the Ducks' defender 1v1 in the 35th minute.

Messiah extended its lead to 3-0 as Nikki Elsaesser dribbled her way through the Stevens defense and beat Ting with a low strike to the bottom right corner early in the second half.

With just over 11 minutes left in regulation, the Falcons put another one on the board off a penalty kick from Natalie Hoober which was the final goal of the match.

The Ducks' best chance to end the shutout took place less than a minute later off a set piece by Mathelier. Her shot seemed destined to find the back of the net but Messiah goalkeeper Audra Larson made a leaping save and sent a carom off the crossbar to senior Ann Heine whose header attempt flew high.

Stevens was outshot in the contest, 17-11, and trailed in corners, 3-2.