NEW HAVEN, CT – Albertus Magnus College (7-3-2, 4-1-0 GNAC) netted a pair of first-half goals en route to securing a 3-1 victory over Saint Joseph's (9-2-0, 4-1-0 GNAC) in GNAC women's soccer action on Saturday afternoon.
Meaghan Skidmore (Terryville, Conn.) recorded the Falcons' first goal of the contest on the team's first shot. Senior Amanda Roke (Cheshire, Conn.) played a ball down field which found Shelley Mirmina (Milford, Conn.) racing down the sideline. Mirmina dribbled down to the end line and sent a cross into the box where she found Skidmore. For Skidmore, it was her second goal of the season and the ninth of her career.
Albertus took a 2-0 lead in the opening half thanks to a Gabrielle Roberts (Plymouth, Conn.) goal, her third of the season. Roberts' shot was forced through the hands of the Monks starting keeper, Jaci Lorenzen (Windham, Maine). Roberts' goal served as the eventual game winner.
At the break, Albertus held an 8-6 edge in shots and a 4-1 advantage in corner kicks.
In the second frame, the Monks cut into the Albertus lead with a goal from Danielle Daigle (Dayton, Maine). Kim Jordan (Bangor, Maine) sent a ball into the box which found the head of the diving Daigle, who drove a header past the out-stretched hands of Maria Case (West Haven, Conn.) into the net.
Mirmina tested the Monks' defense once again in the second half. Mirmina drilled a shot at net as the ball hit the cross bar and barely missed sneaking in for a goal. Meghan Loughman (Trumbull, Conn.) took her own shot off of the rebound but it was saved by Lorenzen.
Roke extended the Falcons' lead with her 23rd career goal in the 84th minute as she drilled a shot from 25-yards out for her team-leading fifth of the season. Roke capitalized on a defensive mistake as her shot hit off the cross bar, dropped straight down, and took a backwards bounce behind Lorenzen to put the Falcons ahead 3-1.
Case finished the contest with four saves, while Lorenzen tallied five. The Falcons outshot the Monks 18-10, including a 10-4 clip in the second half.
Both programs return to the pitch to face conference foes on Wednesday, when Saint Joseph's plays at Mount Ida College (7:00 PM) and Albertus Magnus hosts University of Saint Joseph (4:00 PM).
Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 430-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.