Women's Soccer Falls to Mount Saint Mary

Box Score

NEW LONDON, Conn. - The Mitchell College women's soccer team dropped a 7-2 decision at home to Mount Saint Mary College on Saturday afternoon.

Mount Saint Mary scored four goals in the first half and three more in the final 10 minutes of the contest. Lauren Dorsa scored two goals for the Blue Knights (1-4-0 overall) while Lindsey Oro added three assists.

Sophomore Nikki Hoxie scored two goals to lead the Mariners (0-3 overall). She now has a team-best three goals on the season.

Mount Saint Mary's first goal came just four minutes into the game. The Blue Knights played a ball into the box that deflected off a Mitchell defender and found the back of the net. Kristen Maggio then followed with a score off a feed from Oro in the 12th minute-her first tally of the season-to give Mount Saint Mary a 2-0 advantage.

Mitchell fought back to cut the deficit to one on Hoxie's goal in the 14th minute. Junior Paige Ehnot got things started by chasing down a ball at the end line and winning it from a defender. She then dribbled along the end line before dishing off to Hoxie in front of the net for the goal.

Hoxie tied the game at 2-2 in the 25th minute with her second tally of the afternoon. She lofted a shot over the Mount Saint Mary goalkeeper that just snuck under the crossbar.

The Blue Knights took the lead back less than a minute later, as Danielle Bucco scored after making a long run up the middle of the field and finding the right corner of the goal. Mount Saint Mary then added a final goal before the halftime whistle when Oro played a long ball over the defense and found Dorsa for a one-on-one chance against the keeper. The goal gave the Blue Knights a 4-2 lead at the half.

Though the first 35 minutes of the second half were scoreless, both teams had opportunities to increase their goal total. Mitchell's best chance to cut into the deficit came with 15 minutes remaining on the clock, but a shot by Ehnot hit off the left post.

Sophomore Rachel Cunningham, who took over in goal to start the second half, kept the Mariners in the game. She made five saves-including a stop on a breakaway with just over eight minutes to play-to keep the margin at two goals.

Mount Saint Mary turned up the pressure in the final 10 minutes and kept the ball pinned in Mitchell's defensive end. The Blue Knights finally broke through again in the 83rd minute when a shot by Dorsa was blocked by a Mitchell defender. The ball then came to the foot of Erin McKeon, who buried a shot into the corner of the net for her first score of the season.

The Blue Knights added goals in the 85th and 90th minutes to seal the victory. Dorsa notched her second goal by volleying a cross from Oro over the keeper's head, and Jennifer Nolan added the final score with 54 seconds remaining.

Mount Saint Mary held a 31-15 advantage in shots and a 9-3 edge in corner kicks. Goalkeeper Casey Roland finished with seven saves. Sophomore Brittany O'Neil, who got the starting nod in goal for the Mariners, recorded seven saves in 45 minutes of work.

Mitchell will next play at St. Joseph (Conn.) College on Monday, September 14 at 4 p.m.