Box Score PURCHASE, N.Y. – Macey Girard (Branford, Conn./Branford) made ten saves, but the Manhattanville College women's soccer team was unable to hold off a relentless attack effort from the College of Mount Saint Vincent on Tuesday night, falling 1-0 on a goal with 61 seconds remaining in regulation. The loss drops the Valiants to 3-3-1 on the year, opening Skyline Conference play 0-1-1.

It was a dominating display by the Dolphin strikes over the final 45 minutes, outshooting Manhattanville by a 17-1 margin in the second half. While Girard was able to stand tall and turn away the first eight shots CMSV fired in the half, the Dolphins continued to maintain possession of the ball on the Manhattanville defensive side of the field. The sustained pressure finally broke through in the scoreless bout as Eva Puentes arced a shot from the tight right side of the net into the open left side of the cage. The ball trickled in past the goal line to put the Dolphins on the scoreboard with 1:01 remaining in the game.

After suffering the blow, the Valiants were able to quickly run down field and get their lone offensive opportunity of the half. Stephanie Sanchez (Rye, N.Y./The Masters School) let a shot rip with 29 seconds to play, but the ball sailed off target wide of the net, allowing the Dolphins to run out the remaining clock and leave Purchase with a win in tow.

Despite the shot discrepancy in the second half, the Valiants held the majority of chances in the opening 45 minutes, outshooting the Dolphins 6-3. Manhattanville had a golden opportunity to open up the game's scoring early as Mia Castaneda (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) found herself with just the keeper to beat on a breakaway. The Valiants' leading scorer carried the ball to the left of the cage after deking past goalkeeper Brooke Frierson, but the Dolphins defenders swarmed in and prevented Castaneda from getting a shot away. Sanchez, Castaneda and Jennifer Xiong (Connelly Springs, N.C./East Burke) would each go on to fire a shot on net in the half, but all three were denied by Frierson. Girard successfully turned away both attempts the Dolphins put on net to keep the game scoreless at the half.

Sanchez finished with a team-high three shot attempts, while Castaneda and Xiong finished with two apiece to account for the Valiants' attacking effort on the night.

With her ten saves, Girard has now posted double-digit stops in three straight contests. The sophomore keeper holds a 1.62 goals-against average on the year with an .836 save percentage, leading the conference with 56 saves on the season.

Both teams earned a pair of corners, with the Valiants getting both of theirs in the first half while the Dolphins got two in the second.

Up Next
The Valiants look to rebound and capture their first conference win on Sunday, taking on Saint Joseph's Brooklyn on the road at 1 p.m.

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