HENNIKER, N.H. - The New England College women's soccer team fell on Tuesday night to Elms College, 2-0, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action on Don Melander Field.
In the 11th minute, the Blazers looked primed to score the game's first goal as an NEC foul in the box granted the visitors an early penalty kick opportunity. But sophomore Estrella Michaelidis (Dedham, Mass.) stepped up and denied the PK shot from Elms' Emily Basua to keep the game scoreless.
The scoreless game did not last much longer, however, as Caitlin Willard put the Blazers up 1-0 in the 16th minute on a strike from the left side of the box that just got over the outstretched glove of Michaelidis.
Neither team would find the back of the net again until the 87th minute when Elms bookended the conference matchup with a goal from Elderina Cecunjanin, whose second goal of the season gave the Blazers a 2-0 win.
While the Blazers had the edge in shots on goal, 9 to 4, the Pilgrims supplied plenty of offensive pressure of their own with six corner kicks to Elms' four. Junior Michelina Follis (Saugus, Mass.) led NEC with two shots on target, but both were saved by Elms goalkeeper Nadia Carillo-Hayes.
Michaelidis ended her night with seven saves in 90 minutes, pushing her season total to 113 – a mark that sits second in the GNAC. Despite the two goals given up, she remains third in the conference with a .856 save percentage.
Next up, the Pilgrims will host Emmanuel College on Saturday, October 24th at 12:00 PM in the team's penultimate game of the 2026 season.
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