Women's Soccer drops non-conference contest at Southern Vermont, 4-2

(Bennington, Vt.) A late insurance tally put the game out of reach for the visiting Rivier University women's soccer team Monday afternoon as Southern Vermont College took to a 4-2 non-conference victory at Everett Field.

SVC put up three goals in the opening 45 minutes for a comfortable lead at the halftime break, but the Raiders came back to make it a one-score game midway through the second period. Southern Vermont was able to hold off Rivier, however, purchasing an insurance policy in the 82nd minute for a cushion the hosts would not relinquish.

Rivier goals came from senior captain Megan Caron (Tyngsboro, Mass.) and freshman Keara Sheehan (Chelmsford, Mass.) who both notched their firsts of the year.

SVC freshman Taylor Mallett (Berwick, Maine) continued her stellar weekend, scoring twice while adding an assist; her second goal ended up being the game winner. Southern Vermont sophomores Ally McNamee(Freehold, N.J.) and Molly Madore (Higganum, Conn.) both scored once on the day as well.

Mountaineer junior keeper Melissa Mascari (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) stopped nine Raider shots in the win (2-1) as Rivier junior goalie Lauren Goodspeed (Merrimack, N.H.) had two saves in the loss (0-1-1).

Mallett got on the scoresheet in the 12th minute of the match after chasing down a poked through ball from freshman classmate Ashley Blom (Manorville, N.Y.) that went towards the top-right corner of the box. Mallett collected it, unfettered, took two small touches at net and placed it perfectly into the lower-left corner of the frame for her second goal of the year.

McNamee extended the Mountaineers' lead with a great move in the box, slipping the ball behind her left leg to open up a look on goal. The sophomore slid it past an oncoming Goodspeed for her third of the year with 18:43 left to go in the half.

SVC went up 3-0 with 1:33 on the clock as Mallett registered her first career multi-goal game. A failed Rivier goal kick allowed her to collect the ball at the top of the box, and she proceeded to hit a left-footed drive just past a diving Goodspeed and into the lower-right corner of the cage.

After going into the intermission down 3-0, Rivier came out and tallied the first score of the closing 45 minutes. An SVC turnover in its defensive end allowed Caron to collect the ball at the top-left corner of the penalty area; she made a move to the left to avoid a Mountaineer defender and ripped a high shot into the back of the net to put the Raiders on the scoreboard.

RU struck again 20 minutes later, Sheehan notching her first collegiate goal to get her team within one in the 76th minute. Rivier freshman Stephanie Case (Nashua, N.H.) set up on the right side of the box and played a great crossing pass to the middle of the field where Sheehan was able to run onto it and head the ball home from six yards out.

SVC maintained its 3-2 lead and worked the clock over the next six minutes before getting some breathing room on Madore's fourth of the year. Mallett collected a throw-in from the left side of the field, turned and hit a curling pass into the box through the Raider defense; Madore sped onto it and punched it home with 8:42 to go, giving the Mountaineers an upper hand that would be sustained through the final horn.

The Mountaineers improve to 2-1 on the year with the win while the Raiders fall to 0-1-1. Southern Vermont next hosts Green Mountain College on Thursday for a 4 p.m. non-league tilt while Rivier heads to Simmons College on Saturday to open up Great Northeast Athletic Conference action with a 12 p.m. kickoff.