Box Score Boxscore
PURCHASE, N.Y. – A beginning to Freedom Conference play provided an opportunity for a fresh start for the Manhattanville women's soccer team after a tough non-conference start, and the Valiants took full advantage of that second chance on Saturday afternoon against DeSales.
Juniors Sonia Occhionero (Montreal, Quebec/Kent School) and Brittney Smith (Stratford, Conn./Bunnell) scored less than three minutes apart before and after the intermission and classmate Brianna Scapperotti (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) made a season-high nine saves to lead the home team to a 2-1 victory over DeSales in both teams' Freedom opener at a sunny GoValiants.com Field.
It was big day for three Valiant juniors: Occhionero netted her team-leading third goal of the year to open the scoring, Smith scored the eventual game-winner early in the second half, and Scapperotti picked up first collegiate victory in the win.
As has been the case in most matches so far this season, Manhattanville had many excellent chances to score but just could not put the ball into the net – that is, until the 44th minute. Then with 1:19 to go in the frame, junior Morgan Rebollal (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East) sent a nice through ball to Occhionero, who deked past DeSales keeper Melissa Millili and deposited the ball into an empty net for her third tally of the year.
The shots were perfectly even at nine apiece over the first 45 minutes of play, and despite the Bulldogs' 5-4 edge in shots on goal it was the Valiants that had the better of play and kept the opposition on their heels. Despite being whistled for nine offsides in the first half, Manhattanville continued to look for that one opening and eventually converted on it just before the half.
Scapperotti stopped all five shots on goal she faced in the opening frame, while Millili made three saves on four shots.
Manhattanville came out strong in the second half as well, doubling its lead less than two minutes in. After DeSales ceded a throw-in deep in the defensive zone, Occhionero's toss led Smith nicely into the box and her strike just snuck between Millili and the left post to give the home team a two-goal lead.
DeSales grew desperate after that score, finally getting one back with 17:44 remaining on a chip shot by Melissa Pugliese that beat Scapperotti high from about 25 yards out. But that was all the Bulldogs could muster the rest of the way, as Scapperotti saved the only shot on goal from then on out.
DeSales finished the match with a 22-12 edge in total shots, including a 13-3 lead in the second half, but the final margin was a bit deceptive as the Bulldogs fired anything at the net in the final minutes while looking for the equalizer.
Manhattanville (1-10-0, 1-0-0 Freedom) will play its penultimate non-conference game of the regular season on Wednesday, when the Valiants travel to Ramapo for a 4 p.m. match. DeSales (1-8-1, 0-1-0 Freedom) will face non-conference Gwynedd-Mercy on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
