COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's soccer team tallied twice in the final 46 seconds to overcome regionally-ranked Merrimack College, 2-1, in their first Northeast-10 Conference game of the season on Saturday at Duffy Field. The Purple Knights move to 1-2 overall on the season and 1-0 in NE-10 play, and the Warriors fall to 2-1 and 0-1. Merrimack was ranked No. 6 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) East Region poll.

Sophomore Sara Rooke (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) led the hosts' late surge with a goal and an assist, the first points of her career. Senior Alyssa Keeler (Ghent, N.Y./Chatham) added a goal, while classmate Amanda Shanahan (Hull, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) and sophomore Alex Matteo (Tolland, Conn./Tolland) each contributed an assist. Sophomore goalkeeper Megan LeCours (Barre, Vt./Spaulding) made three saves on the day. The win was the Purple Knights' second in the past three attempts against Merrimack, with each contest decided by one goal, after having previously won only once versus the Warriors since the series began in 1985. Saint Michael's held a 15-13 edge in shots.

Junior Victoria Carter was the lone goal scorer for Merrimack. Her goal was assisted by classmates Jorgi Adee and Emily Maier. Junior goalkeeper Molly Meehan turned away seven shots for the Warriors.

During a scoreless game in the 86th minute, Maier lined up for a corner kick and sent a ball into the box that Adee managed to knock toward Carter, who then deposited it into the right side of the goal at 85:57. Following the goal, the Purple Knights forced a corner early in the 90th minute, and Matteo crossed to the far right post for Rooke, who volleyed it toward the left post where Keeler dove for a header to tie the score at 1-1 with 46 seconds remaining. After the restart, the Purple Knights forced a turnover, and Shanahan made a run down the right wing before sending a cross to the middle of the box that Rooke gently headed into the right part of the goal at 26 seconds. Merrimack was unable to fire a shot on the final possession.

In the 10th minute LeCours made a save on a header by junior Andrea Rego. Rego fired the rebound over the crossbar. In the 23rd minute senior Michaela Horne (Southboro, Mass./Algonquin Regional) took a hard shot on a free kick aimed toward the left side of the goal, but Meehan turned the shot away with a diving save. In the 42nd minute, first-year Greta Ricigliano (Milwaukee, Wis./Nicolet) got her head firmly on the end of a Matteo corner kick, and the attempt at goal was deflected wide by Meehan. The ensuing corner kick by Matteo found first-year Madeleine Morse (Brownsville, Vt./Windsor) in the box, and she fired another shot that was saved by Meehan.

Saint Michael's visits NE-10 opponent The College of Saint Rose, which is receiving votes toward the NSCAA national poll and is ranked fourth in the region, on Wednesday at 6 p.m.