WOMEN'S SOCCER DROPS HOME-OPENER, 1-0

BOSTON, Mass. - The Emmanuel College Women's Soccer Team was handed its first loss of the season on Friday night in the Saints' home opener.  Claremont-Mudd-Scripps scored midway through the second half to top the host Saints, 1-0.  The loss under the lights at Roberto Clemente Field dropped the Saints to 2-1 on the season, while the Athenas stay perfect with an unblemished 3-0 mark.

Both teams entered the contest unbeaten at 2-0 on the young season in the first-ever meeting between these two teams.  With its third-consecutive shutout, the Athenas have now put together three victories off of just four total goals on the season.

CMS outshot Emmanuel, 4-2, in the opening frame.  The Saints got their first great look in the 59th minute of action, when senior captain Kelsie Dumas (Dalton, Mass.) ripped a shot just high of the crossbar. Just over a minute later, sophomore forward Hannah Konicki's (Milford, Conn.) attempt was stifled by CMS goalie Kelly McConnell (Los Altos Hills, Calif.) and the game remained scoreless.

It was nine minutes later that than lone goal of the night would find the back of the net at the opposite end.  Junior defender Allison Lim (San Mateo, Calif.) came off the bench to net the only tally of the night at 69:12.  Junior midfielder Darrah Shields (Redwood, Calif.) was able to get her head on a corner kick by Laynee Laube (Seattle, Wash.).  Shields' header was then played perfectly by Lim and sent past Emmanuel's rookie keeper Victoria Laroche (Hudson, N.H.).  This was Lim's first goal of the season. Both Shields and Laube were credited with assists on the play.

Trailing 1-0, Emmanuel was nearly able to net the equalizer in the 82nd minute, but Katelyn Fink's (Sanford, Maine) shot from the left side sailed high.  After out-shooting the Saints 7-5 in the second half (11-7 for the game), the Athenas held on for the 1-0 win.

McConnell earned the win for CMS, her second of the season.  She made three saves in her 77:52 between the pipes.  Freshman Morgan McCoy (West Monroe, La.) relieved McConnell for the final 12:08 of the contest.

Laroche took the loss for the Saints, her first of the season, but made five saves in the effort.

CMS will complete their east coast road trip, when they play across the river at MIT tomorrow, September 6th, in a 4:00 PM start.  Emmanuel will play again at home on Tuesday night, September 9th, when the Saints host the Leopards of Wentworth Institute of Technology in a Colleges of the Fenway rivalry, slated to begin at 7:00 PM.