Eastern Connecticut State University

MANSFIELD, Conn. -- When it comes to conference matchups, there is another level of intensity to each and every match, something fans at Rick McCarthy Field saw on Saturday afternoon as Eastern Connecticut State University Women's Soccer battled Keene State College in their conference opener. Behind a 78th-minute goal from junior midfielder Faith Corona, in a match that saw both the Warriors and Owls counter each other's attacks, Eastern moved to 4-0-0 for the first time since starting 5-0-0 during the 2004 season with a 2-1 victory over Keene State.

Back during that 2004 season, the Warriors started 6-0-1 before suffering their first loss, while the 20 goals through four matches are the most in program history in that span, as Eastern is now 6-1-2 in their last nine conference matches over the last two seasons.

From kickoff, both sides were relentless in search of gaining some momentum, countering one another at every turn throughout the first 45 minutes. For the Warrior offense, that resulted in two shots going off the posts, only one corner kick, and a 10-5 edge in overall shots, including 5-1 in shots on goal. After several cross attempts in the early going that were just out of reach for an offensive player to get a foot on them and beat first-year goalkeeper Michaela DiCicco, it was sophomore forward Michaela Gasparri breaking through.

After being limited in her first few matches due to illness, Gasparri showed why she was the Little East Conference's Rookie of the Year last season, after junior defender Jordan Fabry intercepted a Keene State throw-in and got it to the sophomore near the left side of the pitch. With only a few dribbles to her right, Gasparri wailed on the ball from way outside the box, going up and over the head of DiCicco in the 40th minute to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the pitch, junior goalkeeper Alex Ignatowicz came up with some key stops early on, along with the defensive front of junior defenders Claire Elliott and Tori Babineau, who played 73 and 90 minutes respectively, along with several other Warriors. Igantowicz would stop an early breakaway attempt for the Owls, diving after the ball to ensure a clean shot could not be taken, while making a big save off an Owl corner kick in the latter stages of the half.

The only shot that the junior would let by her came in the 58th minute when senior midfielder Elizabeth Tschudin would rip a shot off junior midfielder Kaylee Cormier's throw-in that narrowly snuck inside the right post past a diving Ignatowicz. That shot was one of seven taken by Tschudin, four of which reached Ignatowicz in goal, who ended the match with five saves on six shots in her third win of the season, while Eastern moved to an unbeaten 4-0-3 since the 2020 season. 

As the Warriors continued to apply pressure in the second half, the breakthrough would finally happen in the 78th minute when Gasparri centered the ball towards DiCicco in net, but the first-year could not hold onto it, leading to Corona getting her foot on it in the goal mouth with nothing but net in front of her. The goal was Corona's second of the season and capped off a four-point week for the junior as she recorded two assists against Mitchell College and the game-winning goal on Saturday, helping Eastern to that 2-1 win as the defense clamped down, with Ignatowicz making one last save in the 78th minute against Tschundin. 

Before returning home next Saturday, Eastern will head on the road for a non-conference matchup against Westfield State University in the middle of the week on Wednesday at 7:00 PM. The Warriors are 3-1-0 in their last four matchups with the Owls, defeating them last year at home, 1-0.