SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. - A pair of second half goals helped turn the tide as the Mount Holyoke College soccer team came from behind, defeating Southern Vermont College by a 2-1 margin on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Lyons even their record at 2-2-0, while the Mountaineers slip to 1-3-0 on the young season.
With the visitors holding a 1-0 edge after the opening 45 minutes of play, the homestanding Lyons drew even as a miscue in front of the Southern Vermont net resulted in an own goal in MHC's favor. Senior captain and midfielder Suz Rose (South Hamilton, Mass./Hamilton-Wenham Regional) set up the play after she sent a long arching pass on goal. On the ensuing defensive effort for the Mountaineers, the ball was knocked back into the net for the equalizer in the 72nd minute.
Mount Holyoke grabbed the go-ahead in the 86th minute of the contest as the ball was directed into the offensive zone near the top of the box. Sophomore forward Minerva Veeser-Bobea (Arlington, Mass./Arlington) sped down the middle, outrunning her defender to get the touch. Her quick 1-2 dribble drew the goalie out as Veeser-Bobea sent it left-to-right to senior forward Sara Sanaú Ruiz (Zaragoza, Spain/P.P. Dominicos-Cardenal Xavierre), who buried it into the open net for her team-leading fourth goal of the season.
The Mountaineers had several attempts over the final minutes of the contest, including a shot by junior Molly Madore (Higganum, Conn./Haddam-Killingworth) that banked just high of the Lyons net seconds after MHC's equalizer, but the Mount Holyoke front held strong.
Southern Vermont opened the game's scoring in the 36th minute after senior midfielder Paige Vitale (Port Jervis, N.Y./Minisink Valley) corralled a loose ball off a long cross from the right flank. The ball came down at the feet of Lyons' keeper Amanda Manaster (Beverly Hills, Calif./Beverly Hills), who had it in her grasp, but Vitale got enough of a touch on the ball to send it in for the tally.
The Lyons had their chances to equalize it in the later stages of the first half, including a quick flurry around the two minute remaining mark as SVC goalie Melissa Mascari (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) stopped a close range shot off the foot of MHC's Lilydahn Stewart (Hanover, N.H./Hanover), before puching away a Sanaú Ruiz shot over the crossbar.
In the final totals, Mount Holyoke won the battle in shots with a 22-15 margin, while also edging the Mountaineers in corner kicks, 7-4. Manaster earned the victory with seven saves, while Mascari shouldered the loss despite a strong 12-stop effort.
Mount Holyoke is back on the pitch on Tuesday when it travels to Western New England University for a 4:30pm contest. Southern Vermont returns to action on Wednesday with a 4pm match at Plymouth State.
