PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College women's soccer team honored its three graduating seniors at halftime of Saturday's season-ending match with King's (Pa.) College at GoValiants.com Field. The Valiants dropped a 2-0 decision to the Lady Monarchs.
 
Both teams had their opportunities in the first half but neither side could find the net. King's (6-8-2, 3-4-0 Freedom) posted a 7-4 edge in shots after 45 minutes as the teams headed to the second half scoreless.
 
It took King's less than four minutes to get on board in the second half, however. After earning a corner kick, Erin Laird headed home a Katie Witwer cross for her second goal of the season.
 
Although Manhattanville (2-15-1, 0-6-1 Freedom) kept King's from generating many more opportunities, the Lady Monarchs struck again on a quick counterattack in the 88th minute, when Gabrielle Murphy's through ball was touched past sophomore keeper Dolores Diemicke (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) and put into an empty net by Ivy Nulton for the score.
 
King's finished the match with a 17-7 shot advantage. Diemicke turned aside six shots to give her a career-high 150  saves for the season, while Jessica Natale made four saves to earn the shutout victory for the Lady Monarchs.
 
The match was the final collegiate contest for Valiant seniors Erika Deetjen (West Windsor, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro South), Sara Auld (Windsor, N.Y./Windsor Central) and Tori Lettieri (St. James, N.Y./Smithtown East). The Valiants are slated to return 14 of their 17 letterwinners next season, as the team looks for a return to the postseason in 2015.