NEW LONDON, CONN.- The New England College women's soccer team faced an uphill battle on the road that ended in a 3-2 victory for the 'Grims collecting their first win of the season in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action on Saturday at Alumni Field in New London, Connecticut.
 
THE BASICS
Score:    New England College 3, Mitchell College 2
Records:  Pilgrims 1-11-1, 1-8-1 GNAC | Mariners 0-10-0, 0-10-0 GNAC
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Things began in the 'Grims favor early in the conference outing within the first 13 minutes of action as NEC ripped four shots but none more important than the one taken at 12:50 as the ball was thrown in on the left side of the field ending up at the feet of senior forward Shelby McBain (Indianhead, Md.). McBain dribbled the ball up that side of the field heading towards the center finishing off her possession with a sensational touch that finds its way over to freshman midfielder Michelina Follis (Saugus, Mass.) who beat a Mariner defender to shoot and score her 3^rd goal of the season.
• NEC didn't stop there as the team was bestowed two back-to-back corner kick opportunities with the last one at 21:46 was executed successfully with freshman defender Julianna Barrett (Orange, Conn.) firing the ball that put Follis in position to sneak the shot past the MC goalkeeper for the freshman's second goal on the day. Going into halftime the 'Grims had a 2-0 lead over the Mariners.
• The second half commenced with the Mariners responding immediately to the adversity delt to them in the previous half. At 41:10 MC found themselves with a corner kick opportunity that resulted in the ball being kicked but presented the perfect scoring chance for junior midfielder Lauren Cordero (Selden, N.Y.) to blast a high arcing shot landing into the bottom left corner of the goal to get the Mariners on the board at 41:00, 2-1.
• MC continues to make things happen offensively as the ball was launched over the midfield line handled by junior forward Cassandra Roman (New London, Conn.). Roman advanced things into NEC territory making a pass to the opposite side setting up freshman forward Ava Iwasko (Sterling Heights, Mich.) for the equalizer at 12:38, 2-2.
• NEC did not waver nor falter at the momentum that began to accumulate for the Mariners in this closely contested outing. Only a few minutes remained on the clock, Follis had the ball in the left corner and decided to launch it, finding its way over to Barret who located the pass for junior midfielder Mia Loewenberg (Milford, Conn.) ripping a shot that targeted the bottom left corner of the goal at 5:55, 3-2. From there on the Mariners had no response ending in a NEC victory the team's first on the season.

 

• INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• NEC junior goalkeeper Hollie Bomba (Seymour, Conn.) had four saves at the pitch on the day
• MC senior goalkeeper Gemma Landry (Lewiston, Maine) gathered five saves.
• Follis made the most out of a majority of her shots as the freshman wrapped up the day with two goals to make it four scored on the season thus far.
• Loewenberg's goal was essential in securing the 'Grims first win that makes for her 2^nd scored this season.
• The 'Grims were able to take more shots on the day than the Mariners finishing with 18 compared to MC's 13.
• Corner kick opportunities helped give NEC a more competitive edge over MC as they took six and the Mariners concluded with three taken.

 
UP NEXT

• NEC is back on the field on Wednesday, October 16^th in Standish, Maine when they play the Monks of Saint Joseph's College of Maine in an evening GNAC outing starting at 6:30 PM from Saint Joseph's Athletics Complex.
• MC plays their next game from Alumni Field on Wednesday, October 16^th at 3:00 PM against the AMCATS of Anna Maria College.

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