Box Score Boxscore
PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Eastern Connecticut State women's soccer team did not play the role of the helpful guest on Wednesday night at GoValiants.com Field, as the visiting Warriors spoiled Manhattanville's Senior Night with a 7-0 victory over the hosts in a non-conference matchup.
Before the match, the Valiants honored the two seniors members of this year's team, Natalie Green (Vernon, Conn./East Catholic) and Lauren Schobel (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland). Unfortunately, the pleasantries could not last forever as Eastern Connecticut spent most of the game on the offensive against an undermanned Valiant squad.
Kaitlyn Kennedy had a great game for the visitors, scoring her first two goals of the season and adding an assist for a five-point game. Five other Warriors scored as well in the win, with Tamar Mehreb and Nicole Leonard also adding an assist each for three points.
The first half actually saw Manhattanville hang with Eastern Connecticut, as both teams had their chances but neither squad could score in the first 40 minutes of play. But ECSU broke through in the 41st minute, as Kennedy took a shot from long range that just skipped off the top of the hands of junior keeper Brianna Scapperotti (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) and into the back of the net for her first of the year.
The visitors tacked on another goal with 1:02 remaining in the frame on Daniela Marchitto's 12th tally of the year, allowing ECSU to go into halftime with a 2-0 lead despite holding just a 7-4 edge in shots at the break.
After limiting the Warriors' chances in the first half, the offensive floodgates opened in the second half, as the Warriors added five more scores. Laura Violette got the run started in the 57th minute off a feed from Kennedy, and then Mehreb and Leonard scored less than two minutes apart soon after to help put the game away.
Eastern Connecticut asserted itself much more in the second half with a 21-2 shots margin, giving the visitors a 28-6 edge after the full 90 minutes of play. Scapperotti made 10 saves and allowed six goals in 80:41 of action before freshman Bridget Miranda (Binghamton, N.Y./Seton Catholic Central) came on to close out the game, allowing one goal and making one save. Mackenzie MacLeod and Theresa Pagnozzi split time in goal for ECSU, with both goalies making two saves.
Manhattanville (2-16) will close out the 2011 season on Saturday afternoon, as the Valiants travel to King's (Pa.) College for a 4:30 p.m. matchup. Eastern Connecticut (9-8) will conclude its regular-season slate at home on Saturday at 1 p.m. against UMass Dartmouth.
