DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women's soccer team came up short against Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) on Wednesday night during non-conference action by a final score of 2-0. The Corsairs dropped to a 2-4-1 overall record while the Engineers picked up their fourth win to go 4-2-1 on the season.
Sophomore
Lilly Jaeger posted the first shot on target for UMass Dartmouth in the opening four minutes of play, respectively, to force an early save from Engineers goalkeeper Ayla Verheul. The visitors then registered three shots including one on frame that Corsairs goalkeeper
Marina Cassano, making her fourth start in net, stopped for her first save of the night. Abigail Johnson gave WPI their first lead of the game with her score at the 17:11 mark.
Shortly after, Maeve Steckly almost added another goal for the Engineers with a shot from outside the Corsairs box that hit off the crossbar. WPI continued to apply pressure in UMass Dartmouth's defensive end recording four shots in the closing 20 minutes of the half. In the final five minutes of the half, Madisen McLeod doubled the visitors advantage to give WPI a 2-0 edge entering halftime.
First year
Kiariana Williams and sophomore
Anna Keller each posted early shots to kick off the second half for the Corsairs. Shortly after, sophomore goalkeeper
Tori Russo who checked into the game produced a pair of saves for UMass Dartmouth. Both teams exchanged shots midway through the final half. In the last ten minutes of the contest, the Engineers fired 3-of-4 shots on target, all stopped by Russo, but the visitors held on to edge UMass Dartmouth by a final score of 2-0 from Cressy Field.
WPI outshot UMass Dartmouth 23-7 in the game and held a 12-3 shots on-goal differential. The Engineers also earned four total corner kicks compared to the Corsairs with two corners in the contest. The Corsairs also committed 11 fouls while the Engineers were called for seven fouls.
Williams recorded a team-high three shot attempts for UMass Dartmouth with one on target. Junior
Madison Depina and Jaeger each posted one shot on frame while first year
Natalie Frazier and Keller tallied one shot in the game.
Cassano recorded three saves and allowed two goals in the opening half for the Corsairs while Russo finished the second half with season-high seven saves. Verheul produced two saves in net for the Engineers before Maya Mussell checked in for the second half and posted one stop.
UMass Dartmouth travels to Keene State for a Little East Conference (LEC) tilt on Saturday, September 20 starting at 1:00 p.m. from Butcher Field.
