Women's Soccer Shuts Out Wheelock in Regular Season Finale
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wheelock (0-17-0, 0-9-0 NECC) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Mitchell (2-13-0, 2-7-0 NECC) | 3 | 1 | 4 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's soccer team closed out the regular season with a 4-0 victory over Wheelock College on Wednesday afternoon in a New England Collegiate Conference showdown at Alumni Field.
Taylor Saja had a hand in all four Mitchell goals on the day, recording her first career hat trick with a pair of goals in the first half and the lone score of the second. She also picked up an assist on the game-winning goal by Jacquelyn White in the early stages of the contest.
The Mariners (2-13-0 overall, 2-7-0 NECC) also remained alive in the hunt for the final berth in the 2016 NECC Women's Soccer Championship. A win or a tie by Elms College against Daniel Webster College later today would be enough to get Mitchell into the tournament as the eighth seed.
Mitchell put the first goal on the scoreboard in the sixth minute off a corner kick that Saja played to the top of the box. Sophie Spiller was there to settle the ball before setting up White for a shot from just outside the 18 that slipped under the crossbar. The goal was White's second of the season and the first game winner of her career.
Midway through the half Saja added two goals in the span of a minute, both off assists from Lindsay Noble. The first came at the 27-minute mark when Noble found Saja on the right wing for a chip over the keeper. The second tally came 60 seconds later on a long service ball into the box that Saja buried into the back of the net.
Mitchell led 3-0 at the break and added the final goal of the day in the 50th minute. Saja completed the hat trick with a shot from the left wing into the side netting. She now leads the team in scoring with seven points on the season.
The Mariners dominated the time of possession and held a 42-5 advantage in shots. Goalkeeper Jordan Lohneiss made four saves to earn her first career shutout. Wheelock keeper Rachel Simpson recorded a season-high 25 stops to help limit the damage.
