Women's Soccer Downs Wheelock to Earn NECC Berth

BOSTON - The Mitchell College women's soccer team downed Wheelock College by a final score of 5-1 on Wednesday night in New England Collegiate Conference action.

Taylor Saja and Alexandra Mahar each tallied a pair of scores while Samantha Cilenti netted the game-winning goal. Katie McBride made four saves in net to help secure the victory.

The win clinched a postseason berth for the Mariners, who will return to the NECC Championship for the first time since 2012. With one conference game remaining in the regular season, Mitchell (3-7-4 overall, 2-4-2 NECC) can finish as high as fifth or as low as seventh in the league standings.

Saja got the scoring started in the 22nd minute with her first of the season, though Wheelock answered back five minutes later to tie the game on a marker by Banalata Janeway. Cilenti added the final goal of the half in the 34th minute to give the Mariners a 2-1 lead at the break. The goal was also her first of the season.

The second half was all Mitchell as Saja added her second tally in the 66th minute. Mahar later padded the lead with two goals in a six-minute stretch, bumping her team-leading total to seven on the year.

Mitchell will next play at Coast Guard Academy on Thursday, October 29 at 6 p.m.