COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's soccer team lost to regionally-ranked Pace University, 1-0, in its home opener Saturday during a Northeast-10 Conference affair on Duffy Field. The Setters are ranked seventh in the United Soccer Coaches East Region poll.

RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (2-1, 0-1 NE10), Pace (5-0, 1-0 NE10)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• Junior Liz Vallatini (Needham, Mass./Needham), 5 saves

OPPONENT LEADERS

• First-year Cecilia Puentes, 1 goal
• Junior Victoria Barris, 1 assist
• Sophomore Jade Mallea, 1 save

GAME FACTS

• Pace is seventh in this week's United Soccer Coaches East Region poll.
• Puentes is the NCAA Division II national leader in goals with eight.

THE ACTION

• A long ball was kicked up the field by a Pace defender for senior Marta Sadornil in the 18th minute, but Vallatini ran out and slid to take the ball before any damage was done.
• In the 28th minute, a cross by Barris found the foot of first-year Erin Fogarty, who shot the ball high but was denied by Vallatini.
• In the 53rd minute, Barris passed the ball up the middle to Puentes, who held off a defender to her left side and calmly shot the ball to the bottom right corner of the net for the game's only goal.
• Saint Michael's had two free kicks following two Pace yellow cards in the 71st and 72nd minutes that went unanswered, including the second where junior Melanie Roberge's (Chester, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) shot on goal was saved by Mallea.
• With just over 12 minutes remaining in the game, Puentes turned and shot the ball to the top left corner of the net, but Vallatini was there to punch the ball wide of the net.
• In the 89th minute, Saint Michael's had back-to-back corner kicks, but junior Tess McCabe's (Cataumet, Mass./Bourne) second attempt headed toward the back post and went just wide.  

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S GAME

• Wednesday at No. 8 Southern New Hampshire University, 7 p.m.
• Southern New Hampshire is ranked No. 8 in the nation according to the United Soccer Coaches, which also ranks the Penmen No. 1 in the East Region.
• The Penmen have qualified for the last two NCAA Tournaments.