Soccer Loses 1-0 Road Tilt Against Western New England

Amanda Manaster makes a save

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Sophomore midfielder Jordan Gilmore (Waterbury, Conn.) scored her first career goal late in the first half as the Western New England University women's soccer team earned a 1-0 victory over Mount Holyoke College on Tuesday afternoon in non-conference action at Suprenant Field. The Golden Bears improve to 2-2-1, while the Lyons fall to 2-3-0 for the year.

Gilmore, who played in eight games as a freshman last fall before suffering a season-ending injury, scored the goal that would stand as the game winner in the 42nd minute. Coming off a two-goal effort in her collegiate debut, sophomore Alicia Frappier (Granby, Mass.) provided the assist on Gilmore's goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Alex Lemekha (Stamford, Conn.) recorded one save en route to her second shutout of the season.

Mount Holyoke junior goalkeeper Amanda Manaster (Beverly Hills, Calif., Beverly Hills) kept the Lyons in the contest, making ten saves on 11 shots. The Lyons best chance offensively came in the 33rd minute of the first half when sophomore Minerva Veeser-Bobea (Arlington, Mass. /Arlington) took a shot on goal, but sophomore keeper Alex Lemekha (Stamford, Conn./Stamford) was there for the lone save of the game.

After over 40 minutes of scoreless action, Western New England broke through for the game's only goal with 3:18 left in the first half. Manaster stopped the first four shots that she faced, including an attempt by Frappier from just outside the box at the 41:40 mark. The junior was unable to control the rebound however, and Gilmore chased the ball down before burying it in the back of the net to give the Golden Bears a 1-0 lead.

Western New England nearly doubled its lead early in the second half, as senior Christina Delude (Belchertown, Mass.) found senior Brooke Labrie (Granby, Mass.) in front of the net with a cross from the right side, but Manaster was there to make a key save.

The Golden Bears controlled the game the rest of the way, putting five more shots on target and cruising to their second consecutive victory.

The Golden Bears (2-2-1) will be back in action on Saturday, when they open Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play at the University of New England. Mount Holyoke (2-3-0) travels to Boston to face Emerson on Saturday in its NEWMAC opener at 1:00pm.