COLCHESTER, Vt. - Junior
Jules Peterson's (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) 80th-minute strike sent the 24th-ranked Saint Michael's College women's soccer team past nationally-regarded Pace University, 3-2, on Saturday in Northeast 10 Conference play at Duffy Field during Senior Day.
The Purple Knights, who entered the day among 14 undefeated teams in NCAA Division II, tied for 24th in this week's United Soccer Coaches national poll while sitting third in the East Region rankings. The Setters received votes toward the national poll while being slotted fourth in the region.
Saint Michael's honored
Bridget Hanley (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield),
Casey Havrda (Hanover, N.H./Hanover),
Bia Maluf (Salvador, Bahia, Brazil/High Mowing School/Pace),
Sam McDonough (Walkersville, Md./Walkersville) and
Bridget McLoughlin (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) as part of Senior Day.
RECORDS
- Saint Michael's (7-0-2, 3-0 NE10), Pace (7-3, 1-2 NE10)
SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS
- Peterson, 1 goal
- Junior Scarlett Brookes (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls), 1 goal
- Junior Sarah Gormley (East Moriches, N.Y./Westhampton Beach), 1 goal
- Hanley, 1 assist
- Junior Lola Follansbee (Grafton, Mass./Grafton), 1 assist
- Sophomore Chloe Laizer (West Springfield, Mass./West Springfield), 6 saves
OPPONENT LEADERS
- Sophomore Bailey Olson, 1 goal, 1 assist
- First-year Alyssa Blanchette, 1 goal
- First-year Siena McCree, 8 saves
GAME FACTS
- A third of the way through the nine-game NE10 schedule, Saint Michael's is tied with Franklin Pierce University for first place in the league standings.
- The Purple and Gold ran its regular-season unbeaten streak to 16 games (14-0-2).
- Saint Michael's extended the best start in program history.
- Brookes tied Niki Pelletier '04 for sixth in program history in career goals (27).
- Laizer picked up her 23rd career win in her 29th start, tying Trish Hannan '90 for third in program history.
- The Purple and Gold held sizable leads in shots (27-14) and corner kicks (11-6).
- Saint Michael's and Pace have now played to a one-goal decision six times in the last seven meetings. The Purple Knights are 4-2 overall in the series since 2019 and have won three straight at home.
THE ACTION
- A scoreless first half featured a handful of outstanding plays by the goalkeepers.
- In the 12th minute, Hanley's free kick was punched over the crossbar by McCree, who denied Brookes' quick turn and lefty bid at the upper left corner in the 30th minute.
- A little more than 30 seconds later, Laizer dove to punch away sophomore Meredith Klosek's low roller from distance, and the netminder dove at the left post to cover Blanchette's header on the ensuing corner kick.
- In the 34th minute, Gormley's bid was swatted away by the left hand of a diving McCree.
- Lazier touched sophomore Kaelyn Reinhard's free kick over the crossbar in the 42nd minute.
- Junior Julia Palmese (Berlin, Conn./Berlin) headed sophomore Abby Costa's (Portsmouth, R.I./Portsmouth) corner kick service to McCree late in the 44th minute for the final bid of the half.
- The second half saw a combined five goals scored in a 33:58 span.
- Blanchette put the Setters ahead just 21 seconds after halftime, lofting a shot from outside the box that Laizer leaped and extended high to touch before the ball settled in the net.
- Only 5:31 later, Gormley tallied on an open net, gathering a rebound after Follansbee rung the left post.
- In the 62nd minute, Brookes finished in the right side of the box after switching feet and dancing around two defenders, ultimately blasting a close-range shot over McCree.
- Less than a minute later, Pace found the equalizer, as Olson headed home sophomore Bindiya Wadhwani's end-line cross.
- Peterson struck for the winner in the 80th minute, curling a left-footed shot from the right side of the box toward goal, where Brookes stood in front of McCree, distracting her long enough for the ball to slip past. Hanley lent the assist on the play.
- Wadhwani's shot less than 25 seconds later was drilled over the frame for her team's final bid.
NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S GAME
- Tuesday at Southern New Hampshire University, 6 p.m.
