PURCHASE, N.Y. – Freshman Evaline Diaz (Temecula, Calif./Temecula Valley) scored the first goal of her collegiate career in the 27th minute and that was all the Manhattanville College women's soccer team needed to pull out a 1-0 victory over the College of Mount Saint Vincent in non-conference action on a breezy Wednesday afternoon at GoValiants.com Field.
 
Wednesday's contest featured only one goal but many chances for both teams, as Manhattanville (3-4-0) held a slight 12-10 edge in shots and a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal. Junior Dolores Diemicke (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) turned aside all three shots she faced to earn her second straight shutout, moving her into a tie for seventh place in program history with six career clean sheets.
 
Neither team had a good chance on goal until the 26th minute, when a free kick from freshman Dany Swidler (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines) resulted in the first and only goal of the contest. Swidler's kick from the left sideline landed in the box where senior Christie DeMarco (Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream South) knocked it away from keeper Elizabeth Martin. The ball came free to freshman Lauren Vallarelli (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck), who had her close-range shot redirected into the back of the net by Diaz for the score.
 
Despite the score, Mount St. Vincent (2-7-0) outshot Manhattanville by a 6-4 margin over the first 45 minutes of play, with Diemicke making all three of her saves during the opening half.
 
The Valiant defense did well to shut down the Dolphin attack for much of the second half, and a back nearly got Manhattanville a second goal when Swidler sent a free kick rocketing off the crossbar in the 69th minute. Junior Melissa Barcia (Somers, N.Y./Somers) just missed adding to the Valiant lead as well in the 77th minute with a shot that whistled just wide of the right post.
 
Manhattanville also got a little lucky in the 82nd minute when Caroline Criscuola beat a defender to gain space and fired a shot off that caromed off the post and out. That was the last chance of the match for Mount St. Vincent, as the Valiants remained unbeaten at home this season.
 
The Valiants will look to keep the home winning streak going on Saturday, when the squad hosts Eastern University in both teams' 2015 MAC Freedom Opener beginning at 2 p.m. at GoValiants.com Field.