Boxscore

UNION, N.J. – The new-look Manhattanville women's soccer team had a hard time finding scoring opportunities and one first-half goal proved to be the difference as Kean University dealt the Valiants a 1-0 defeat in both teams' 2010 season-opener on a hot and humid Wednesday afternoon at Kean Alumni Stadium.

The only goal of the game came in the 28th minute, when sophomore Ashley DiRocco took a pass from classmate Jacklyn Janicky and found the back of the net. Up until that point, the shots were even at three apiece; however, after DiRocco's goal Manhattanville managed just one shot while the Cougars fired seven more to keep the visitors at bay.

Senior goalkeeper Ali Bromson (Suffield, Conn./Suffield) (Suffield, Conn.) kept Manhattanville in the game by making five saves on 11 total attempts, while Kean senior keeper Leandra Russo needed to make just a single save to preserve the shutout and earn her first win of the year.

For the Valiants, the loss marked the team's first defeat away from Purchase in over a year and the first regular-season defeat away from home since October 25, 2008 at Eastern University.

Manhattanville (0-1, 0-0 Freedom) will make a second attempt at picking up its first victory of the season on Saturday, when the Valiants stay on the road to take on Saint Joseph (Conn.) College starting at 1 p.m. Kean (1-0, 0-0 NJAC) will host the City College of New York also on Saturday at 1 p.m.