Box Score
NEW LONDON, Conn. — Sparked by early goals from first-year player
Michaela Gasparri (Prospect) and graduate student
Katelyn Herbert (Bethpage, NY), Eastern Connecticut State University women's soccer surged past the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in a Connecticut state showdown, claiming a 2-1 non-conference victory Wednesday evening at Nitchman Field. All of the scoring came in the first half, with Coast Guard's goal the result of a penalty kick that cut the Warriors' early lead in half.
Gasparri and Herbert each tallied their fifth goals of the season, while sophomore Alex Ignatowicz (Coventry) and junior Kaeden Dublin (Maple Grove, MN) each had two saves.
Game Information:
- Score: Eastern Connecticut State University 2, U.S. Coast Guard Academy 1
- Records: Eastern (5-2-2), U.S. Coast Guard Academy (1-6-2)
- Location: New London, Conn. (Nitchman Field)
Key Moments:
- Eastern opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Off a corner from first-year player Jordan Fabry (Lisbon), the ball threaded into the box, drawing the Bears' goalkeeper off her line and landing at the feet of Gasparri. Her first shot hit the post but ricocheted back to her, and she quickly recovered to fire a clean right-footed strike into the left side of the net for the Warriors' first goal.
- In the 23rd minute of the match, following a missed defensive play by Coast Guard, Eastern regained possession deep in the corner. Sophomore Adeline Stevens (Willington) launched a long throw into the Bears' defense, recovered by Gasparri, who battled past the last line, slipping the ball through the Coast Guard defense to Eastern's Herbert who stood in perfect position and slotted a right-footed shot into the left corner of the net, the ball sliding just out of the goalkeeper's reach for Eastern's second goal of the night.
- Coast Guard responded with a penalty kick after a handball in the box with just 15 minutes to go in the first half. Bella Brittian stepped up and sent a clean strike into the net, bringing the Mariners back into the match for the final minutes of the first half.
Scoring Summary:
- 15:12 – Eastern Connecticut State – Michaela Gasparri.
- 23:09 – Eastern Connecticut State – Katelyn Herbert.
- 32:32 – Coast Guard – Bella Brittian (Penalty Kick).
Game Notes:
- Eastern defeated Coast Guard Academy at the whistle, securing a 2-1 non-conference victory.
- Both teams recorded double-digit shots, 11-16, with Eastern finishing 4 on goal and Coast Guard finishing 5 on goal.
- Corner kicks were close, with Eastern taking 5 and Coast Guard 4.
- Goalkeeper saves totaled four for Eastern and two for Coast Guard.
- Eastern's Gasparri opened the scoring at 15:12 for her fifth goal of the season, followed by Herbert at 23:09, also marking her fifth goal. Coast Guard's Brittian converted a penalty kick at 32:32.
- Eastern committed eight fouls, while Coast Guard committed seven throughout the match.
- Cautions were issued to Eastern junior Lauren Weaver (Columbia) and Fabry and to Coast Guard's Ella Pottle.
Up Next:
Eastern (1-0-1 LEC) hosts Plymouth State University (4-6-0, 0-3-0 LEC) in a Little East Conference match-up, Saturday at 1:00 PM EST on Senior Day.The Panthers were beaten, 6-1, by visiting Roger Williams University Wednesday afternoon at Arold Field.
