Box Score NORTH ADAMS, Mass.--Junior Becca Mercieri scored the only goal of the game in the second half, and the Western New England defense did the rest, as the visiting Golden Bears handled Massachusetts College 1-0 in a non-conference women's soccer contest on Wednesday. The Golden Bears extended their unbeaten road streak to three games (1-0-2) while improving to 5-5-3 on the season, while the Trailblazers drop to 3-7-1.

Western New England got all the offense it would need off a set piece in the 73rd minute. Junior Karoline Sperber sent a corner kick into the penalty area where Mercieri collected the loose ball during a scramble in front of the goal and shot it in for her second goal of the season. She now has a career-high six points on two goals and two assists.

The Golden Bears defense limited MCLA to just two shots on the afternoon. The Trailblazers got the first solid look at goal in the 4th minute when Brittany Whitford blasted a shot from 10 yards out that junior keeper Briana Kubik had to take a few steps to her left to reach up for the save. Then in the 18th minute, Natalie Caney sent a long shot into Kubik for another stop.

Western New England outshot 20 to 2, including a 13-0 margin in the second half to keep the pressure on, and held a 6-1 edge in corner kicks.

MCLA couldn't push the ball forward over the closing minutes thanks to a solid WNE defensive corps by starters Jessica Burke, Katelyn Cummings, Erica Parlavecchio and Toni Wilson. Kubik lowered her goals-against average to 0.88 and notched her sixth shutout to tie a career high, which leads the Commonwealth Coast Conference.

Katy Daly kept MCLA in the contest by collecting nine saves on the afternoon.

Western New England returns to the CCC circuit on Saturday when the Golden Bears host preseason favorite Endicott at Suprenant Field, starting at 1:30 p.m. MCLA also is back in action on Saturday for a road date with Framingham State.