FRANKLIN, Mass. - The New England College women's soccer team battled Dean College in a tightly contested Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) matchup Saturday afternoon, falling to the Bulldogs, 1-0.
The two teams traded chances throughout the opening half, with Dean firing back-to-back shots that narrowly missed the frame. Lainey Buffington looked to put the Bulldogs on the board, but her attempt was turned aside by NEC sophomore goalkeeper Estrella Michaelidis (Dedham, Mass.). The 'Grims responded with a chance from junior Michelina Follis (Saugus, Mass.), but Dean goalkeeper Danielle Reinhard made the save. Dean continued to fire shots in the closing minutes of the half, but Michaelidis stood tall in net to keep the Bulldogs off the scoreboard as the teams entered halftime knotted at 0-0.
Dean came out aggressively in the second half, but the Pilgrims quickly answered as freshman Stella-Blue Kraus (East Greenwich, R.I.) tested Reinhard, who made the save. The Bulldogs continued to create opportunities and broke through on a penalty kick, taking a 1-0 lead. NEC pushed for the equalizer late, with Follis putting another shot on frame, but Reinhad made the stop to preserve the Bulldogs' lead and pick up the 1-0 win.
Dean finished with a 12-5 advantage in shots and held a 9-3 edge in shots on goal. Michaelidis delivered another strong performance in net, recording eight saves across 90 minutes, while Reinhard made three saves for the Bulldogs.
The 'Grims return to action Tuesday as they continue GNAC play, hosting Regis College at 7:00 PM on Don Melander Field.
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