Box Score NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--Mount Holyoke College scored two late goals to put the game away en route to dealing the Smith College soccer a 3-1 loss on Saturday afternoon. It was the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opener for both teams.
Smith dropped their third consecutive game in falling to 1-3, and 0-1 in NEWMAC play. Mount Holyoke improves to 2-1 and 1-0 in the NEWMAC.
The game was slow to begin, as both teams failed to muster chances on goal. Smith's best opportunity in the early going was a volley by
Jenn Chang (Seoul, South Korea/Wilbraham & Monson) that sailed over the crossbar. Mount Holyoke made the breakthrough in the 23rd minute. Mallory Phaneuf slid in a cross from the right, and Margaret Hanmer was on hand to one-time it into the net.
Smith nearly leveled the score in the 34th minute - off a Kaitlin Johnson corner kick, the ball bounced around the area, falling to the feet of
Ewa Januszkiewicz, but her shot was blocked in traffic. At the other end, Kara Singleton could have doubled the Lyons' lead, but her shot was cleared off the line by
Aidan Hitt (Arlington, Va./Yorktown).
Mount Holyoke did get their second goal in the 72nd minute. Smith failed to deal with Phaneuf's corner, and the loose ball fell to Phaneuf, who beat Smith goalie
Lindsey Gregor (Bradenton, Fla./Southeast) from 10 yards. The Lyons added a third goal two minutes later, when Kiana Lussier slid in Mary Cooke, who curled a shot past Gregor for a 3-0 lead.
The Pioneers did get a goal back with 10 minutes remaining. Chang went on a solo dribble down the middle of the pitch, and beat Mount Holyoke 'keeper Emily Shanks from the edge of the area for her third goal of the season. Smith kept pushing for an equaliser, but could not beat Shanks again in the final minutes.
Gregor made two saves for Smith, while Shanks made three for Mount Holyoke.
Smith will be on the road to take on Elms College in a non-conference game at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 21st. Mount Holyoke will also hit the road in their next game, facing Western New England University on September 20th at 4 p.m.
