SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Despite a 10-save performance from first year goaltender Zoe Marshall, the Mount Holyoke College soccer team was unable to battle back, falling to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2-0 in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference action on Saturday. With the win, the Engineers move to 6-2-2 and 2-1-0 in the conference, while the Lyons are now 5-6-0 and 0-3-0 in the NEWMAC.
MIT set a tone early, netting a pair of goals just 40 seconds apart within the first nine minutes of the contest. Sophomore Morgan Moroi (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany) set up the first goal after she came down the far side and fed the ball into the middle. Senior forward Michaelann Rodriguez (Florence, Ala./Florence) corralled it and sent a long shot into the left corner at 8:31.
The Engineers made it a 2-0 advantage soon after as junior midfielder Ambika Krishnamachar (Darien, Conn./Phillips Academy) came in from the outside, received a pass from senior midfielder Rachel Dias Carlson (Albany, N.Y./Albany) and one-timed it in.
Mount Holyoke, which was held to just two shots in the half to MIT's 12, saw its best opportunity late in the stanza as junior defender Sana Barclay (Takoma Park, Md./Montgomery Blair) fired in a shot from outside the box, which MIT keeper Lauren Ulmann (Princeton, N.J./Princeton) dove to save and keep the score at 2-0 heading into halftime.
The second half was a defensive battle for the Lyons, who kept the score at 2-0 through the final 45 minutes, but were unable to put in a tally of their own. Marshall (Mississauga, Ont./Cawthra Park Secondary) was outstanding in goal for MHC, recording six saves.
MIT opened the second half with a long arching shot that found Marshall out of position. Junior defender Emily Quinlan (Rindge, N.H./Cushing Academy) was there to make the stop, heading away a hard shot by Carlson.
Marshall then made a number of solid saves for the Lyons, including a shot that was ripped by junior midfielder Michelle Battipaglia (Katonah, N.Y./Somers), which she punched out of danger. Moroi nearly made it a 3-0 advantage for the Engineers mid-way through the stanza as she came in on a breakaway. Attempting to go to the left, Marshall was there for a diving stop.
MIT continued to attack the net, but the Mount Holyoke defense held through the remainder of the game. The visiting Engineers held a 24-2 margin in shots, while also taking a 9-3 advantage in corner kicks. Marshall made 10 saves for the Lyons, while Ulmann stopped two shots for MIT in the first half. First year Hannah Zlotnick (Rochester, N.Y./Irondequoit) came on the in the second half, but was not forced to make a save.
The Lyons are back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Clark for a 6pm conference tilt. MIT is also in action on Tuesday, hosting NEWMAC-rival Wheaton at 4pm.
