MANSFIELD, CT -- On Wednesday, Eastern Connecticut State University women's soccer (3-4-1, 0-2-1 LEC) returned home for a Little East Conference matchup with their in-state undefeated Western Connecticut State University (9-0-0, LEC 3-0-0) led by junior forward Myah Croze. The Warriors would drop their second conference match in three games, losing by a final score of 3-2 at Rick McCarthy Field.
 
    Coming into the game, Croze was tied for second with Westfield State University first-year forward Delaney Parker in NCAA Division III Women's Soccer with 13 goals so far this season. Both squads got off to an aggressive start early and would combine for three fouls combined in the first few minutes of play. As the Little East Conference foes began to settle in, Croze would capitalize off a Warrior turnover in the defensive zone and curve the ball over senior goalkeeper Alexis Tyrrell's (Torrington) outstretched arm and into the back of the net in the 6^th minute. The goal was the junior's 14^th of the season and tied her with first-year forward Jess Williamson from Delaware Valley College for most goals in Division III women's soccer.
 
    WestConn would continue to apply pressure to the Warrior defense, but the defensive tandem of sophomore Jillian Parenteau (West Greenwich, RI), juniors Carmen Nieves (Sutton, MA) and Emily Barata (New Fairfield), and senior Olivia Rovalino (Simsbury) kept the WestConn offense at bay.
 
    Eastern's first offensive opportunity would come in the 15^th minute when Parenteau would take a corner kick that found its way to first-year midfielder Dani Rovalino's (Simsbury) foot who sailed the ball wide of the goal. As the Warriors were unable to generate much offense against WestConn's defense which came into the game holding their opponents to 0.75 goals per game, Eastern's defense and Tyrrell would keep WestConn off the scoreboard.
 
    With a chance to extend the lead in the 25^th minute, Croze would take a free kick for WestConn on the offensive side of the field. She would loft the ball on goal and Tyrrell would make the save as the ball descended on the goal to keep the game at 1-0. At the end of the first, WestConn's offense manufactured 15 total shots, four of the five shots that reached the net were swallowed up by Tyrrell.
 
    As Tyrrell continued to hold her own in net against the top team in the Little East Conference, WestConn would eventually break through in the 60^th minute. After a foul in the box by Eastern, Croze stepped in to take the penalty kick for WestConn and fired it through the left side of the goal to put her team ahead by two and earn her 15^th goal of the season. 15 minutes later in the 75^th minute, another penalty in the box would lead to a WestConn goal this time by junior midfielder Skylar Jorge, giving her six goals on the year and WestConn the 3-0 advantage and eventual victory.
 
    The pair of goals by Myah Croze pushed her goal total for the season to 15 which pushed her past a second-place tie with Delaney Parker and ahead of Jess Williamson to lead the nation in goals scored this season in Division III women's soccer. Croze recorded 8 shots (4 on goal) in only 70 minutes of action for WestConn.
 
    Alexis Tyrrell finished the game with 8 saves on 11 shots in 78:12 minutes played before giving way to sophomore goalkeeper Emily Wallace (Smithtown, NY) in the final 11:48 of play. Wallace would record one save on one shot attempt during her appearance.

    Eastern will hit the road for their next three games starting on Saturday at 1:00 PM against their Little East Conference rival Keene State at Dr. Ron Butcher Field. The Warriors won their last matchup against the Owls on April 26^th of this year in overtime by a final score 3-2 in a game where then first-year midfielder Alexie Root (Old Saybrook) scored the equalizer and game-winner.