Springfield, Mass. (October 11, 2023) - The Women's Soccer Team returned to the campus of Western New England for their next CCC matchup with the Suffolk Rams. Both teams were coming off wins, with WNE beating Roger Williams 2-0 and Suffolk defeating Nichols 8-1. The Golden Bears would get a goal at the end of the first half and carry the lead to a 1-0 victory over Suffolk.

Records:

• Western New England: 8-2-2 (5-0-0)
• Suffolk University: 7-4-2 (2-2-0)

How it Happened:

The game was kicked off by the Rams. Sophia Barker was in net for the Rams, and Molly McLaughlin was on the other end of the pitch, in net for the Golden Bears. The Golden Bears had the first two shots of the game, with Lindsay Reidy and Gabby Sansone testing the keeper in the 2nd and 3rd minutes. Barker was able to make the save on both shots. The Golden Bears were attacking, and the Rams had to find an answer. Daniela Petronio tried to do just that with a shot in the 7th minute. However, it would go over the net for a WNE goal kick. The 13th minute was the next opportunity for the Golden Bears. Julia Frappier sent a shot towards the bottom left corner of the net. Barker was able to dive for the ball and push it away for a WNE corner kick.

The Rams would then clear the ball after the corner and squash the opportunity. The 15th minute saw the Rams earn a shot on goal. Makena Columbus sent a shot at net, but McLaughlin made the save. It was rebounded by Isa Pereza, but Pereza sent the follow-up shot high of the net. The Rams started to generate momentum, and in the 16th minute, Chelsea Fallon sent a shot at the WNE net, and McLaughlin had to make another save. The ball would go back and forth from team to team for the next nine minutes until a shot from Suffolk's Nicole Morin-Trotta, who had a shot blocked. Then, in the 27th minute, Pereza had another shot on net. However, McLaughlin made the save and kept the score tied at zero. 

The Golden Bears would start to gain momentum in the 33rd minute. It started with a shot by Brynn Murphy that Barker had to save in the lower left corner of the goal. Then, Lindsay Reidy had a shot blocked in the 35th minute. That was quickly followed by a shot by Klaudia Rushi being blocked by the WNE defense. Murphy went for goal again in the 40th minute. Barker would make the save. Murphy tried again in the 42nd minute. However, the shot missed wide left. The 43rd minute saw another shot by Murphy. However, Barker made another save to keep the score knotted at zero. Stephanie McKenna then had a shot blocked in the 44th minute. The Golden Bears were building up momentum, and later, in the 44th minute, that momentum would help the Golden Bears prevail in scoring a goal. The blocked shot led to a corner. That corner was taken by Julia Frappier, who sent a cross into the middle of the box. The ball bounced around and fell to Emma French, who quickly sent the ball up and into the back of the net to give the Golden Bears the 1-0 lead. The Golden Bears' Ashley Collins had a late attempt to make it 2-0, but Barker would make a seventh save and keep the deficit at one going into halftime. At the break, WNE led in shots 11-7, shots on goal 8-3, and corners 5-1. The Rams had more saves, 7-3, and more fouls, 6-2. The Golden Bears had the 1-0 lead and looked to extend that lead going into the second half.

The second half saw the Golden Bears come out with a similar mentality to the end of the first half. In the 48th minute, Reidy sent a shot on goal to test the keeper and Barker made the save. Then, in the 55th minute, after Suffolk pushed the ball down into the WNE end, the Golden Bears got an opportunity, and Sansone sent the ball up and over the net. The 56th minute saw Sansone get another chance, but the Rams defense would block the shot. The 59th minute saw Sansone get the ball in the 18-yard box for the Golden Bears. After working towards the keeper, the ball would get away from Sansone and find Jordan Paré. Paré would then send a shot in at the net, and Barker would make the save to keep the Golden Bears at one goal. The Golden Bears would not stop pressuring the Rams. Reidy had a shot in the 61st minute, but Barker, again, was there to make the save. The Golden Bears would continue to put pressure on, but no shots. Eventually, the Rams would move down the pitch, and Fallon would get a shot on goal in the bottom left corner of the net. McLaughlin would make the save. Then, the Rams followed it up with another shot, this time by Petronio. McLaughlin would deny the Rams' opportunity and keep the lead alive for the Golden Bears. The Rams would make a couple more runs down the pitch with the ball. However, no major opportunities arose. In the 76th minute, the Golden Bears had two shots. One from Frappier and one from Reidy. Neither would make it to the net, as the Rams' defense blocked both shots. Reidy then had a shot in the 78th minute. That was saved by Barker. Then, Frappier would find Sansone striking toward the net. Sansone would get a shot off, but it was pushed wide right of the net. In the 86th minute, Liza Pinette had an opportunity for a sixth goal of the season. However, the crossbar got in the way. That was quickly followed by Conroy, but Conroy's shot was blocked. That would be the final shot attempt of the game, and the Golden Bears would hold on to the one-goal lead for their fifth CCC conference win. 

After the game, the stat line showed the Golden Bears lead in shots by a score of 21-9. The Golden Bears had 11 shots on goal compared to the five for the Rams. The Golden Bears also had seven corners compared to the two by the Rams. The Rams did have more fouls by a score of nine fouls to three. The Golden Bears won the game 1-0.

Inside the Lines:

• The Golden Bears hosted the Rams of Suffolk University in a midweek CCC showdown.
• Emma French scored the only goal of the game off a corner kick assist by Julia Frappier. That gave the Golden Bears a 1-0 lead.
• Sophia Barker made ten saves for the Rams.
• Molly McLaughlin made five saves for the Golden Bears.
• The Golden Bears won the game by a score of 1-0.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• WNE will stay home for their next game. They will host the Fighting Scots of Gordon College on Saturday, October 14, at noon on Suprenant Field.
• The Rams will head back to Boston for a clash with Curry College on Saturday, October 14, at 3:00 PM.