SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Behind a two-goal performance from first year forward Sara Sanaú Ruiz, the Mount Holyoke College soccer team defeated its Seven Sisters-rival, Bryn Mawr College by a 2-1 margin. The win moves the Lyons to 2-2 on the season, while the Owls slip to 1-3 overall.
Mount Holyoke opened the game's scoring in the 37th minute as Sanaú Ruiz corralled a pass from the midfield and dribbled it down the right. She went in tight to the goal, sneaking it in on the right side past senior keeper Aviva Kosansky (Kailua, Hawaii/Tara).
The Lyons were dominant in the opening half, holding the visitors to just three shots, in comparison to their own 11. Kosansky made five stops in the opening half of action.
In the second stanza, Bryn Mawr battled back in the 48th minute as senior midfielder Allegra Levy (Torrance, Calif./Chadwick School) found the ball in traffic, firing it into the right corner past the reach of MHC's Zoe Marshall (Mississauga, Ont./Cawthra Park Secondary School). Sophomore middie Haidyn Weight (Bellingham, Wash./Sehome) earned the assist, after she headed the ball out to Levy for the kick to the corner.
Mount Holyoke roared back into it, seeing a number of chances over the closing 20 minutes. Sophomore forward Jamie Collings (Gainsville, Fla./Eastside) had a one-on-one break with the keeper. After his shot was initially saved, it banked left and nearly trickled into the net, but Owls' first year Leah Baer (Millburn, N.J./Millburn) was there to scoop it up out of danger.
The Lyons finally broke the tie in the 77th minute after sophomore midfielder Suz Rose (South Hamilton, Mass./Hamilton-Wenhan Reg.) sent a long ball in just outside the offensive zone. Sanaú Ruiz was there, coming in to the box on the right side. Using great footworking skills, she forced the Bryn Mawr keeper to dive left, before sending it in on the open right side.
Bryn Mawr, which held a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks, was unable to battle back. The Lyons finished with an 18-8 shot edge.
In goal, Mount Holyoke saw Marshall finish with four stops to earn the victory. Bryn Mawr saw Baer endure the loss with four saves.
The Lyons return to the pitch on Tuesday, traveling to Western New England University for a 4:30pm contest. Bryn Mawr is right back in action on Sunday in a 1pm game at Smith.
