Box Score MANSFIELD, Conn. – The defense of the Eastern Connecticut State University women's soccer team made an early goal by senior midfielder Kaitlyn Kennedy (Burlington) stand up as the Warriors won their first Little East Conference match of the season by turning back the University of Massachusetts, 1-0, Saturday afternoon at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.
At right: Kaitlyn Kennedy
The victory ended the four-game winning streak of UMass Boston's (6-4-0, 2-1-0 LEC), which had captured its first LEC playoff title a year ago after sharing first place in the conference with Eastern (6-4-0, 1-2-0 LEC). The Beacons and Warriorrs were ranked 1-2 in the Little East pre-season coaches' poll. UMass is ranked in a tie for 10th in New England.
Eastern won its fourth home game in as many tries when Kennedy scored her second goal of the season with just over a minute gone in the match after the Beacons were unable to clear an Eastern corner kick out of the box. Making her first start in nearly month due to injury, freshman keeper Chelsea Santos (Windsor Locks) posted her second shutout in three career starts. She made eight saves, five in the second to gain the decision over UMass junior Kristen Spain (Quincy, MA).
With 19 minutes left in the first half, senior midfielder Nicole Leonard (Rutherford, NJ) had a prime chance to double Eastern's lead, but her uncontested shot from inside 12 yards sailed high, and sophomore midfielder Samantha Bottaro (Southington) came off the bench for another Eastern scoring bid with six minute left that ran wide of the left post.
Freshman midfielder Hannah Lear and senior midfielder Sam Cristoforo forced Santos to come up with saves on their combined total of five shots. UMass All-America junior forward Krista Ledin and senior forward Tayla Andrews – who have combined for 19 goals and seven assists this year – combined for three shots, making Santos come up with one save.
UMass, shut out for the first time this year, was held without a corner kick until through the first 50 minutes of the contest but finished with an 11-6 advantage in shots.
Eastern visits Amherst College Tuesday at 4 p.m.
