Second Half Goals Push Women's Soccer Over Elms
NEW LONDON, Conn. – A pair of second-half goals propelled the
Mitchell College women's soccer team to a 2-1 victory in a NECC
match-up against Elms College on Tuesday afternoon at Alumni
Field.
After a scoreless first half, the Mariners (4-5-0 overall, 2-0-0
NECC) scored two goals in a four-minute span to take control. Both
teams had chances to score over the final 30 minutes but couldn't
find the back of the net.
Elms (2-8-0 overall, 1-2-0 NECC) struck first in the 16th minute on
a goal by Ashley Venancio, her first of the season. With a light
rain falling at the start of the contest, the pitch was slick when
Venancio took a corner kick and played the ball out short to a
teammate. A Mitchell defender slid in to break up the pass, and the
loose ball came right back out to Venancio. She took a few touches
before drilling a low ball to the far post that skipped off the
turf and by the keeper into the corner of the goal.
The Blazers took the 1-0 lead into the halftime intermission, but
the Mariners answered in the 63rd minute. Junior Nikki Hoxie was
hanging out in front of the goal when a cross from the right side
short-hopped the goalkeeper and deflected to her feet. She finished
off the play for her third goal of the season and tied the game at
1-1.
Mitchell took the lead in the 67th minute on a goal scored by
freshman Caley McClendon.
Junior Leslie
Briggs slid a pass to the front of the goal where McClendon
beat the keeper to the lower right corner for her team-leading
sixth goal of the season.
Elms' best chance to equalize came in the final two minutes of the
contest. Jen Killion got around the left side of the Mitchell
defense and had a one-on-one look against freshman goalkeeper Kaylee
Woodford. Killion put the shot on goal but right at Woodford,
who made the final of her 10 saves in the contest.
Elms goalkeeper Kelly Callahan finished with 10 saves as well. She
kept the Blazers in the game with several key saves, including a
stop in the 70th minute against McClendon to keep the deficit at
one goal.
Mitchell will next host Daniel Webster College on Saturday, October
9 at 2 p.m.