CASTLETON, Vt. – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women's soccer team were bested on the road at Vermont State University Castleton, 2-1, in Little East Conference (LEC) play on Saturday afternoon. The Corsairs are now 1-2-1 in conference action while the Spartans improved to a 2-2 Little East mark.
The Spartans tested Corsairs goalkeeper
Marina Cassano early in the contest as Gwen Bridges fired a shot on target that Cassano stopped for her first of the afternoon. First year
Rieanna Murray tallied the first shot on frame for UMass Dartmouth that Spartans goalkeeper Julie Cooper saved at the 12:52 mark. Both teams continued to exchange shots approaching the midway point of the opening half featuring shots by first years
Natalie Frazier and
Kiariana Williams. At the 36:44 mark, Frazier found the back of the net off the assist by junior captain
Lauren Widmer to give the Corsairs a 1-0 edge entering halftime.
Cassano recorded three consecutive saves to kick off the second half of the game for UMass Dartmouth. Frazier and senior
Ashlyn Aguiar each responded by firing a shot apiece that redirected off the crossbar. At the 61:42 mark, Emma Patrissi tied the score up for VTSU Castleton with her goal. Maggie McKearin then netted the second goal of the afternoon for the Spartans two minutes later, respectively, to out the home team ahead 2-1.
Heading into the last 10 minutes of the game, Murray drilled a hard shot the bounced off the woodwork with 80:17 left on the clock. Senior defender
Veronica Bock tallied a late shot on target for the Corsairs, but Cooper was there to make the stop and cement the Spartans 2-1 home victory.
Frazier scored her ninth goal of the season after leading the squad with seven shot attempts including three on target. Murray finished the game with five shots featuring two on frame while Williams recorded 1-of-4 shots on-goal for the Corsairs.
In net, Cassano finished the contest with seven total saves and allowed two goals on the afternoon for UMass Dartmouth. Cooper tallied eight total stops and allowed one goal in net for VTSU Castleton.
UMass Dartmouth travels to Framingham State University for their next non-conference match slated to begin at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8
th.
