MANSFIELD, CT – Looking to continue their momentum following a conference win against Rhode Island College on Wednesday, Eastern Connecticut State University women's soccer (5-6-2) hosted Williams College (4-7-1) for an early Saturday afternoon matchup at Rick McCarthy Field. Despite a strong defensive showing by the Warriors against a face-paced Ephs squad, Eastern would fall by a final score of 4-1.
 
    Williams College would set the tone early as only five minutes into play senior midfielder Mikayla Kappes would fire on senior goalkeeper Alexis Tyrrell (Torrington) who would make her first of three saves in 45 minutes played on the afternoon. Less than a minute later the offensive pressure would lead to a pair of touch passes from senior midfielder Victoria Laino and Kappes that found junior forward Emma Lynch on the left side of the net for the first goal of the game and her first goal of the season to put the Ephs ahead.
 
    Then in the 11^th minute, Williams College would add to their lead when a foul just outside the box led to a free kick taken by Laino. Laino would place the ball just underneath the right crossbar, out of reach for Tyrrell to put the Ephs in front by two in the early stages on the match. Williams would threaten to extend their two-goal advantage when sophomore forward Tess Belnap lifted a shot just underneath the crossbar, but a tremendous leap by Tyrrell would deny Belnap's opportunity and keep Eastern within striking distance.
 
    As the first half wound down, the Warriors would capitalize off a turnover by the Ephs in which first-year forward Briley Harnois (Attleboro, MA) would find herself on a breakaway with only junior goalkeeper Leyla Kamshad in her way. Harnois would capitalize on the lone shot for Eastern in the first half, sending the ball over the sliding Kamshad to pull the Warriors within one heading into the half.
 
    However, Eastern would struggle to put together an offensive rush in the second half to mount a comeback against Williams College as they were unable to manufacture a shot attempt in the final 45 minutes of action. Meanwhile, the Ephs would add to their lead in the 62^nd minute following a foul by junior defender Grace Muller (Johnston, RI) resulting in another free kick taken by first-year defender Blakeley Buckingham who lofted the ball into the box. The ball would find the head of junior midfielder Liz Girvan who knocked the ball towards the net and trickling by first-year goalkeeper Sara Honold (Wantage, NJ) to put Williams College ahead again by two.
 
    It would be sophomore forward Sam Phan who would round out the scoring for the Ephs when first-year midfielder Tori Huang found first-year midfielder Kelly Beal on the right side of the field. Beal would outrun the chasing Warrior defense before finding Phan near the right post where the forward would squeeze the ball between the post and a diving Honold to give the Ephs a 4-1 lead which would be the score as the final horn sounded.
 
    Splitting each half in net, Alexis Tyrrell finished the game with three saves in the first half while Sara Honold ended her afternoon with five saves on seven attempts. The appearance for Honold was only her second of the season and her career as the first-year player recorded her first saves at the collegiate level on Saturday after not facing a shot in her appearance versus Mitchell College.
 
    Goalkeepers Kelya Kamshad and Olivia Dabinett each played a half for Williams College with neither earning a save as the Ephs' defensive front held the Warriors to just one shot on goal for the day which ended up in the back of the net off the foot of Briley Harnois.
 
    Eastern will round out their non-conference regular season schedule with a home game at Rick McCarthy Field on Wednesday, October 20^th at 7:00 PM when Wesleyan University comes to town. The last time the two teams met was in 2017 when the Cardinals defeated the Warriors 1-0 at Rick McCarthy Field.