Boston, Mass. – The Albertus Magnus College women's soccer team lost on the road to Emmanuel, 1-0, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action on Saturday afternoon at Clemente Field. With the loss, the Falcons move to 6-6-2 overall and 4-3 in conference play, while the Saints improved to 8-7 on the year and 6-1 in league matches.
Emmanuel senior captain Katelyn Fink (Sanford, Maine) scored the game's lone goal in the 74th minute to lift Emmanuel into lone possession of second-place in the GNAC.
The Saints opened the game on the attack, firing four shots toward the Albertus Magnus goal in the opening 13 minutes, but only one was on target and it was turned aside by Falcon senior goalkeeper Maria Case (West Haven, Conn.).
After a save by Saints sophomore keeper Tori LaRoche (Hudson, N.H.) in the 19th minute on a blast by junior midfielder Taylor Rotella (Milford, Conn.), the Saints regained control of the pace of play, earning a corner kick and two more shots on goal in an otherwise quiet first half for both teams.
The second half began much like the first ended, with a large chunk of neutral zone play from both teams including a 14-minute span where neither team registered a shot.
Things picked up in the 60th minute when Albertus Magnus senior forward Acacia Nelson (Bridgeport, Conn.) pushed a shot wide of LaRoche's goal and earned a corner kick. The Saints defended the corner well and used the counter attack to take momentum back downfield. In less than three minutes, EC won a corner and attempted three shots, including one on goal, but were unable to beat Case.
The Saints finally broke through in the 74th minute after senior Molly Carey's (Swampscott, Mass.) corner kick attempt was foiled. EC maintained possession and eventually the ball found the foot of freshman Mikayla Guthrie (North Andover, Mass.). Guthrie, the team leader in points and assists, dished it to Fink who buried her second goal of the season and gave the Saints the lead.
Down the stretch, Emmanuel used offense as its form of defense, applying more pressure as the time wound down. The Saints put four more shots towards the Albertus goal within one minute, forcing Case to make two saves, putting one wide, and hitting a post.
The final chance of the contest for the visitors came from Rotella in the 89th minute, but her shot sailed wide and LaRoche and the Saints earned their fourth clean sheet in last five games.
In net, Case turned aside eight shots in a losing effort for the Falcons. On the opposite end, LaRoche made two saves to earn her eighth win of the autumn.
Nelson and Rotella tied for the team-high with two shots for Albertus Magnus, while junior midfielder Kaitlyn Fedumenti (Stratford, Conn.) added one of her own.
Albertus Magnus returns to action with a home conference clash against Lasell on Monday, October 12, at 1:00 p.m.