PAXTON, Mass. - The New England College women's soccer team kicked off their season Friday afternoon with a 1-0 win over the Anna Maria College AMCATS at Caparso Field in Paxton, Massachusetts. 

The Pilgrims started attacking early with senior Mia Loewenberg (Milford, Conn.) and graduate Shelby McBain (Indianhead, Md.) getting shots in within the first two minutes. 

Senior Hollie Bomba (Seymour, Conn.) saved the first two shots on goal from the AMCATS before McBain picked up a yellow card. Anna Maria's Olivia Vale da Serra registered a yellow card almost eight minutes later. 

Multiple scoring attempts from the AMCATS were denied by the Pilgrims defense as the game entered the half tied at zero. 

Just a minute and thirty-five seconds into the second half, the AMCATS picked up another yellow card. McBain and freshman Estrella Michaelidis (Dedham, Mass.) got shots on goal before freshman Amanda Roy (Fitzwilliam, N.H.) was able to deflect a shot off an AMCAT into the net to put the Pilgrims up 1-0. 

The Pilgrims kept the pressure on as sophomore Madison Bowman (Coventry, Vt.) and sophomore Abbey Keyes (Dedham, Mass.) had shots saved by Anna Maria goalie Kortney Clark. 

After multiple attempts, Bomba, who saved all four AMCATS shots on goal, and the Pilgrims were able to keep the AMCATS scoreless as they came away with their first win of the season. 

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