WEST HARTFORD, Conn. --  Sophomore forward Emily Becher (Brooklyn) scored the ninth game-winning goal of her 23-game career, and senior keeper Rachel Skelton (East Lyme) made six saves for her first shutout of the season as the Eastern Connecticut State University women's soccer team edged the University of Saint Joseph, 1-0, Sunday afternoon.

The win is the second in three days for Eastern (2-0-1), which outshot Saint Joseph (1-1-0), 18-6,  and surrendered only one corner kick in posting its second shutout win over the Blue Jays in the last three years.

Becher, who scored 18 goals en route to All-New England recognition last year, possessed a loose ball in the box with 22:22 left in the first half and maneuvered around a prone USM senior keeper Melissa Dodge to score into an open net from close range for her team-leading third goal of the year.

None of the saves were challenging for Skelton, whose final stop came following a USJ free kick in Eastern's defensive end with 23 seconds left. Skelton, who has eight shutouts in 28 career starts, lowered her goals-against average to 0.67.

Eastern's starting defense of Skelton, junior Jamie Belden (Middlebury), sophomores Maggie Bodington (Stratford) and Michele D'Agata (West Suffield) and freshman Claire Newman (Cromwell) gave up only one corner kick, that coming with 16 minutes left and the Warriors protecting its 1-0 lead.

Midfielder Maggie Sayers (Windsor Locks), the team's only senior starting position player, had several opportunities in the first 25 minutes – the first coming before Becher's goal and the second a minute after -- but Dodge foiled both bids. With Eastern leading, junior midfielder Hailey Lehning's (Woodbury) drive from the right side bounced off the crossbar.

After compiling an 11-3 advantage in shots in the first half, Eastern threatened several times to double its lead in the second. Two players came off the bench in an effort to score. With 11 minutes gone, junior midfielder Haley Stewart (Windham) found space from 15 yards but her drive sailed wide of the left post. On Eastern's first possession following USJ's only corner kick, freshman  forward Allisa Beedle (Bethany) gathered the ball on the left side, cut into the box, and unloaded a drive that carried just over the crossbar. With 12 minutes left, Bodington  sent a ball up the middle from the defensive end that carried into the offensive area, but Dodge outraced a charging Beedle to the ball to diffuse a scoring chance.

Eastern hosts Simmon College Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.