WORCESTER, Mass. – The Clark University women's soccer (4-2-0, 0-1-0 NEWMAC) hosted WPI (4-3-0, 1-0-0 NEWMAC) in their conference opener and scored four goals, but were bested 5-4 by the Engineers in a high scoring affair on Saturday afternoon from Granger Field.
The game was Clark's Leukemia Lymphoma Awareness contest and prior to the contest, the Cougars and Engineers exchanged the NEWMAC Sportsmanship Banner.
How it Happened
- WPI took a 1-0 lead in the third minute as Abigail Johnson serviced in a corner from the left side of the pitch that found the head of Jess English, with English putting the ball past senior Gabrielle Huryn.
- Clark generated a pair of corner kicks that were stopped by the Engineers before Johnson stole the ball from the Cougars in the ninth minute and lobbed in a shot with her left foot that found the right corner of the goal as WPI led 2-0.
- Junior Selene Hammad and sophomore Lillie DeMetrick each created chances that were stopped by Abigail Marsolais before junior Georgia Louis nearly got Clark on the board in the 35th minute, but again Marsolais registered a save.
- Sophomore Kory Lloyd brought the Cougars back within one with 0:03 remaining in the half with a free kick from just outside the box that found the back right corner of the net as WPI took a 2-1 lead into the break
- In the 49th minute, Johnson played a ball down the left side of the pitch that found Maeve Steckley and Steckley fired a shot that snuck into the left corner of the goal as the Engineers pushed their advantage to 3-1.
- Less than a minute later, Caila Scully sent a ball over the Clark backline and found Johnson who lofted a shot over the head of Huryn to extend WPI's lead to 4-1.
- Clark cut the deficit in half at 4-2 in the 60th minute as junior Solimar Rivera played a ball from the right side of the box to first-year Caroline Knecht and Knecht fired a left-footed shot into the top part of the net.
- In the 62nd minute, Rivera earned possession in the midfield and sent a through ball to Knecht, with Knecht again shooting with her left foot into the bottom right corner of the goal as the Cougars trailed 4-3.
- Clark's defense held the Engineers without a shot on goal over the next 17 minutes before Louis lofted a shot from the right side of the box over the head of Marsolais as the Cougars rallied all the way back to tie the match at 4-4.
- WPI answered in the 79th minute as Adiletta split Clark's defense and rocketed in a left-footed shot that went over the head of Huryn to put the Engineers back on top 5-4.
- Lloyd created Clark's final chance of the afternoon in the 84th minute, but had her shot saved by Marsolair as the visitors collected a 5-4 victory.
Inside the Box Score
- The Cougars recorded 19 shots (nine on target), drew 13 fouls, and earned seven corner kicks.
- Lloyd netted her second career goal.
- Knecht registered second and third goals as a Cougar.
- Rivera picked up her third and fourth assists of the year, which brings her career total up to eight.
- Louis extends her goal streak to five games with her fifth goal of the season and 19th career goal.
What's Next
Clark will return to the pitch on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Wheaton for a NEWMAC contest beginning at 11:00 a.m.
