PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College women's soccer team continued to be frustrated offensively on Tuesday afternoon, as the Valiants could not take advantage of their chances in a tough 2-0 loss to DeSales University in MAC Freedom action at GoValiants.com Field.
 
Manhattanville (4-8, 0-3 MAC Freedom) had its opportunities to score in the contest, putting 10 shots toward the goal of Emily Hoats and placing six shots on target. However, Hoats made several quality stops to keep the Valiants off the scoreboard for the full 90 minutes. At the other end of the field, DeSales (9-5, 3-0 MAC Freedom) applied pressure on the Valiants from very early on in the game, putting nine of its 11 first-half attempts on goal. Junior Dolores Diemicke (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) made eight saves in the first half alone to keep the Valiants in the match.
 
Diemicke's first great save of the game came in the 14th minute against the conference's top scorer, Rachel Shive. Shive got loose inside the box and fired a shot that Diemicke somehow got a piece of, and the touch allowed the ball to spin backwards away from the endline to keep the match scoreless.
 
In the 31st minute, Hoats made easily her best save of the day to keep the score tied, as she dove to her right to deflect away an attempt by Valiant senior Christie DeMarco (Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream South). About two minutes after that, the momentum turned as Angelica Bertola got the Bulldogs on the board with her ninth goal of the year, taking a pass from Gabby Lucchese and putting it past Diemicke.
 
DeSales doubled its lead 3:18 into the second half, when the Valiants were whistled for a foul in the penalty box. Eve Barna stepped to the penalty spot and, despite Diemicke guessing the right direction, slotted the ball perfectly into the lower-left corner for the goal.
 
Manhattanville had some good chances to get back into the game in the second half, but Hoats came up with several key saves down the stretch to keep her team ahead and keep the Valiants winless in conference play. Diemicke ended the day with 10 saves, matching her season high set against Vassar.
 
The Valiants will face arguably their toughest test of the season on Saturday, when the team travels to Misericordia University for a date with the #13/19 Cougars beginning at 1 p.m.