Wesleyan Shuts Down Soccer, 4-0
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (Sept. 22, 2009) – Junior forward Dasha Battelle found the net twice, as the Wesleyan University women’s soccer team blanked non-conference foe Mount Holyoke College this evening at the Mount Holyoke Soccer Field. It was the Cardinals third consecutive shutout victory. They have now downed the Lyons four times in a row.
Wesleyan jumped out to a 1-0 advantage just 6:57 into the contest, when Battelle scored her first goal of the evening off an assist from senior midfielder Taylor Stevenson. Stevenson split the Mount Holyoke defense with a pass from the middle of her team’s offensive zone. After collecting the feed in the box, Battelle snapped a shot past Lyons first year goalkeeper Caitlin Pacheco for what proved to be the winner.
Junior defender Maddy Harrington recorded her first goal of the year in the 44th minute to push Wesleyan’s cushion to 2-0. First year defender Kaylin Berger got the play started with a lob over the Mount Holyoke defense. Harrington received the pass on the left side and beat Pacheco far side.
The Cardinals lead expanded to 3-0 on Battelle’s second tally in the 54th minute. Junior midfielder Kaitlin Ashley was credited with the assist on the play after her pass from just inside the box found Battelle, who knocked it in from the doorstep.
Senior midfielder Beth Kenworthy wrapped up the scoring in the 70th minute, when she lofted a shot over the outstretched arms of Pacheco from around 40 yards out. Stevenson registered her second assist of the night on the play.
Wesleyan outshot the Lyons 20-5 and finished with a 12-5 advantage in corner kick opportunities. Sophomore goalkeeper Clare Colton made one save in the first half before giving way to first year Kate Connolly-Smithwick, who stopped two shots after the break. Colton was credited with the win. Pacheco registered eight saves for the hosts.
Both squads are slated to return to action on Saturday in front of their home crowds. Mount Holyoke (1-5-0, 0-0-0) will kick off its New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) slate versus Wheaton College at 1:00 p.m., while Wesleyan (3-1-0, 1-1-0 NESCAC) will face off against New England Small Conference Athletic Conference (NESCAC) opponent Tufts University at noon.