NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - The Saint Michael's College women's soccer team opened its Northeast-10 Conference schedule with a 2-1 loss at regionally-ranked Merrimack College on Saturday at Martone-Mejail Field. The Purple Knights move to 1-2-1 overall and 0-1 in the league, while the Warriors remain unbeaten at 3-0-1 and 1-0. Merrimack is 10th in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) East Region poll.

Senior Meagan Brady (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick Valley/Vermont) scored an unassisted goal for Saint Michael's and classmate Kaylee Sullivan (East Greenwich, R.I./East Greenwich) collected a career-high 14 saves in net. Senior Jenna Savi netted a goal for Merrimack with an assist from junior Megan Gada. Sophomore goalkeeper Molly Meehan earned the win after stopping one shot in the second half, while senior Megham Gulbrandsen held the opposition scoreless on two shots in the first half.

The opening half went scoreless despite Merrimack owning a 19-2 shot advantage. Sullivan was tested just 39 seconds into play, but made the first of her eventual seven first-half saves. At 19:51, Warrior sophomore Emily Maier sent a shot off the post with the carom going to Savi, who booted the ball wide of target. Brady and junior Michaela Horne (Southboro, Mass./Algonquin Regional) accounted for the pair of Saint Michael's shots on Gulbrandsen in the half.

Merrimack continued its offensive charge into the start of the second half with four more shots that were stopped by Sullivan. The Purple Knights, though, broke the scoreless tie when Brady lofted a shot over Meehan at 66:02 after receiving junior Agi Chretien's (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) chip over the defense. The advantage lasted just 26 seconds as a Saint Michael's own goal allowed Merrimack to draw even at 1-1. Sullivan was tried twice more before Savi picked the top right corner at 79:41 for the go-ahead marker. The visitors were unable to register a shot during the remainder of the game.

The Purple Knights return home to face nationally-ranked The College of Saint Rose on Wednesday at 4 p.m. Saint Rose is second in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) national poll.