SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Freshman Brionna Voight scored two goals and added an assist for a career-high five-point afternoon to lead Western New England past Mount Holyoke, 3-0, in non-conference women's soccer action on Tuesday at Suprenant Field. The Golden Bears, who improve to 2-1 at home, are now 4-3 overall while the Lyons dip to 3-2 on the season.
Briana Kubik made six saves to earn her second shutout and the Golden Bears back line did a solid job of clearing balls in front to get their third as a team.
The host Golden Bears took a quick 2-0 lead in the first half with goals just 1 minute and 36 seconds apart beginning in the 35th minute. Chelsea Kuzio received a pass from Voight near the top of the box and then rifled a shot into the upper left corner of the net. In the 37th minute, Voight scored the first of her two goals on a penalty kick after a MHC player committed a foul in the box.
Mount Holyoke had its best scoring chance in the first half during the 29th minute when Kara Singleton's shot from close range hit off the right post and then the rebound was cleared over the goal line by a WNE defender for a Lyons corner kick.
Syry Mitchell had a golden opportunity to put MHC on the scoreboard in the 58th minute when she blasted a shot from 13 yards out on a sharp right angle but Kubik reached up and snagged the save with two hands.
The score remained 2-0 in WNE's favor until the 89th minute when Voight netted her team-leading fourth goal after receiving a pass from midfield by defender Danielle Savoie, cutting across the top of the 18-yard box and ripping a right-footed shot inside the left post to close out the scoring.
Zoe Marshall made seven stops for the Lyons, who were outshot by a narrow 15 to 14 margin (and 10-6 on target).
Ashleigh Hartsock led MHC with three shots overall and Ali Rossi came off the bench to add two shots on goal.
Mount Holyoke returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Babson to open its NEWMAC schedule. Game time is 1pm.
Game story courtesy of Patrick Stewart, Western New England Sports Information. Photo by Aida Zhumabekova.
