DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women's soccer team were bested by Eastern Connecticut State University on Saturday in Little East Conference action by a final score of 4-1. The Corsairs fell to a 1-3-1 record in the Little East while the Warriors improved to a 3-0-1 conference record.
Prior to kickoff, the Corsairs recognized three graduating student-athletes for their Senior Day game including senior captain
Antonella Goncalves, senior defender
Veronica Bock, and senior midfielder
Ashlyn Aguiar.
Shortly after first year
Kiariana Williams fired the first shot on target to force a save from Warriors goalkeeper Alex Ignatowicz, the visitors snagged a quick 1-0 lead off a set-play outside the box. At the 19:25 mark, senior defender
Veronica Bock drilled a strike on frame off a free kick that Ignatowicz was able to stop. Approaching the midway point of the half, Corsairs goalkeeper
Marina Cassano, earning her ninth start in net, recorded her second save of the game to deny Kylie Gentile.
Gisella Hayes doubled Eastern Connecticut's advantage to 2-0 with her score at the 34:15 mark. First year
Natalie Frazier responded for UMass Dartmouth with a strike that went wide left of the goal. In the closing five minutes of the half, Katie Guerin extended the Warriors lead with a late goal off the assist from Michaela Gasparri to take a 3-0 edge entering halftime.
The Corsairs started the second half strong, registering 4-of-5 shots on target with Ignatowicz making all four stops for the Warriors. Then at the 54:04 mark, Frazier stole the ball away from a Warriors defender and nestled a long left-footed shot into the top right corner to make it a 3-1 game. First year Jesse Ayes and Williams each tacked on a strike on frame to add another pair of saves for Ignatowicz. At 68:47 on the clock, junior goalkeeper
Grace Conti produced her first stop of the afternoon after checking into the second half for UMass Dartmouth. Eastern Connecticut cemented their victory after Gasparri netted a goal in the final minutes of the contest enroute to a 4-1 conference win.
Frazier scored the lone goal of the afternoon for UMass Dartmouth, marking her 1oth score of the season, after leading the squad with nine shots. Williams finished the game with 3-of-5 strikes on target while first year
Rieanna Murray tallied 2-of-4 shots on-goal.
Cassano shouldered the loss after posting three saves and allowing two goals in net for the Corsairs. Conti registered three stops and allowed two goals in net after checking into the second half for UMass Dartmouth.
UMass Dartmouth is back in action on Tuesday, October 14
th hosting Mass. Maritime Academy for their next non-conference tile slated for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.
