PROVIDENCE, R.I. –  Playing its eighth match this season decided by a 1-0 score, the Eastern Connecticut State University  women's soccer team was beaten by Rhode Island College for only the second time in the last 13 meetings in a Little East Conference match Saturday afternoon at the RIC Soccer Field.

At right: Senior midfielder Tamar Merheb

Now 4-4 this year in games finishing 1-0, Eastern (7-7-0, 2-3-0 LEC) has now absorbed as many as three regular-season conference losses for the first time in 13 years. The Warriors had lost one or no conference matches 11 times in the previous 12 season.

Led by sophomore forward Gabrielle Turner's header in the 85th minute, and junior goalkeeper Audrey Maia's second straight shutout, Rhode Island College (5-8-1, 1-4-0 LEC) won for the first time in five conference games this year. The Anchorwomen also stopped a five-game losing streak at the hands of Eastern and won for only the second time over the Warriors since 2001. Eastern had won its five previous matches against RIC by a combined score of 30-3.

The loss dropped Eastern from a share of  fourth place in the conference into fifth place. With two regular-season conference matches remaining, Massachusetts Dartmouth took over sole possession of the fourth spot by pasting host Plymouth State University, 4-1 Saturday afternoon.

The top six finishers in the eight-team loop qualify for the conference playoffs, which get underway Nov. 5. Keene State College, UMass Boston and Western Connecticut State University currently share the top spot at 4-1-0, the trio vying for the two first-round playoff byes accorded the top two finishers.

The teams were relatively quiet on offense until the final minutes of the second half, when Eastern' nearly took the lead on a goal from sophomore forward Brianna Curcio (Southbury) in the 77th minute. However, the Warriors were called offside, their eighth offside call of the afternoon, leaving the two squads deadlocked with roughly 13 minutes left to play.

After nearly breaking the scoreless tie on an opportunity set up by a corner kick in the 84th minute, the Anchorwomen finally found the back of the net a minute later to jump ahead of the Warriors by a goal. Following a foul on the visitors, junior midfielder Lauren Maisano lined for a free kick from inside the midfield line and sent a towering blast into the box toward the Eastern freshman keeper Chelsea Santos (Windsor Locks).

However, as Santos came out of her post to corral Maisano's ball, she collided with Rhode Island junior midfielder Danielle Peloquin, sending both players to the turf. With the net momentarily empty as Santos struggled to get to her feet, Turner headed the loose ball into the goal from just outside the left post for her seventh score of the season.

Eastern came within inches of tying the game minutes later, when senior midfielder Tamar Merheb (Bethel) fired an uncontested shot from the top of the box that slammed into the crossbar and bounced away.  

Both keepers made seven saves, Maia recording her third shutout.

Eastern hosts Massachusetts Dartmouth Saturday at 1 p.m. in a Little East Conference match.