SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Powered by a goal in each half, the Emerson College soccer team posted a 2-0 victory over Mount Holyoke College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday. With the win, the visiting Lions improve to 4-5 overall and 1-1 in conference play. The homestanding Lyons slip to 3-6 and 0-2 in the NEWMAC.
Emerson got things going early in the half as junior midfielder Tayllar Righini (Salem, N.H./Salem) scored in the 11th minute. Sophomore defender Katherine Dobson (Middleton, Mass./Masconomet Regional) earned the assist after she passed the ball to Righini, who fired it into the lower right corner of the net.
Mount Holyoke, which held a 9-5 edge in shots for the contest, had a solid chance in the 18th minute as senior forward Cassidy Robinson (Lebanon, N.H./Lebanon) dribbled past the defense, passing it to classmate Andrea Portillo (San Jose, Calif./Downtown College Prep.). Despite getting around another defender, Portillo's shot went just wide.
The second half saw the homestanding Lyons post seven shots to Emerson's two, but it was the visitors who would capitalize in the 62nd minute. Off a low corner kick, junior midfielder Mollie Coyne (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton High East) found the ball at the top of the box, dribbled a few steps to her left before sending a bulleted shot over the reach of the keeper and in under the cross bar.
Despite the advantage in shots, Mount Holyoke was unable to break through on the scoreboard before time expired. In goal, Emerson's Melanie Escobar (Torrington, Conn./Chesire Academy) made four saves to improve to 3-0 on the season. MHC senior Mackenzie Randall (Harwinton, Conn./Forman) slipped to 1-4 overall.
MHC returns to action on Tuesday in a 4pm match-up at Bay Path. Emerson returns to action next Saturday, hosting WPI at 4pm.
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Photo courtesy of RJB Sports Photography.
