Sansone Nets Two as WNE Rolls Through Mount Holyoke

Springfield, Mass. (September 28, 2022) - The Golden Bears played host to the Lyons of Mount Holyoke College today. WNE looked to continue the momentum they picked up in their 3-0 win over Nichols on Saturday. Mount Holyoke came into the game hoping to get a much-needed win.

Records:

• Western New England: 5-3-1 (1-0-1)
• Trinity College: 1-7-0 (0-2-0)

How it Happened:

The game started with the Lyons gaining possession after a Golden Bear kick-off and maintained that possession for a little while. MHC worked the ball from one side of the pitch to the other, hoping for something to open up. WNE waited it out and eventually made their move. In the ninth minute, Allison Bruehwiler put a shot on net to test Mount Holyoke's GK, Clarissa Govea. Govea would make the save pretty easily. In the 13th minute, Laureen Jean-Jacques attempted a shot, but the ball would sail above the crossbar for a goal kick. WNE would start to put some pressure on Mount Holyoke in the 18th minute with a shot by Summer Hathaway that was blocked, but it would end up at the feet of Danielle McCarthy, who would test Govea with a shot on net, but Govea made the save. Two minutes later, McCarthy would put another shot on net, but again, Govea was equal to the task. The ball would bounce from team to team for a few minutes, but WNE would get it back and keep the pressure on with a shot by Emily Chojnicki that made Govea get down to save. Then, less than a minute later, Kyleigh Wheatonsent a shot towards the bottom right corner of the net that Govea would parry away nicely.

WNE would get on the board in the 29th minute when a corner from Danielle McCarthy would bounce from head to head in the penalty box before falling at the feet of Gabby Sansone, who put the ball off of a defender and into the net for a 1-0 Golden Bear lead. The Golden Bears wasted no time putting pressure back on the Lyons. First, Wheaton sent a shot towards the center of the net that Govea saved. Then, Sansone would go for a second goal, but sent the ball over the crossbar and out of play. Lindsay Reidy got in on the action with a shot towards the top right corner of the net, but Govea was again there for the save. Sansone also tried for her second goal of the afternoon in the 37th minute, but Govea was there for the save. After two more shots by WNE, in the 43rd minute, a penalty kick was awarded to the Golden Bears after a tough challenge within the penalty box. Allison VanVolkenburg stepped up to attempt the penalty kick, and as she ran up, she eyed the net down and sent a hard right-footed shot into the right side of the net to put WNE up 2-0 going into halftime.

In the first half, WNE had 15 shots to Mount Holyoke's one. Govea made nine saves on 11 shots on goal. WNE GK, Molly McLaughlin had no saves on no shots on goal. WNE had ten corners in the first half, with one of them leading to the Sansone goal. MHC had no corners during the first half. Mount Holyoke had most of the fouls in the first half, with four to WNE's one. 

When play began in the second half, the Lyons, again, tried to maintain the majority of the possession as they passed it around from one side to the other, looking for openings on the Golden Bear defense. However, it did not take long for WNE to cut off a pass and make a move on goal. Bruehwiler had a shot in the 47th minute that went high of the net. That was quickly followed by a Jordan Paré shot on goal that Govea was there to save. WNE would keep moving down the field towards goal, and in the 52nd minute, they would get their third goal. Bruehwiler got a pass and ran down the right side of the field, giving her teammates time to run into the penalty box. She then sent a right-footed cross across the goal to Samantha Vitka, who waited patiently for the ball. Vitka rose and headed the ball into the back of the net to give the Golden Bears a 3-0 advantage. WNE did not stop there as Bruehwiler put a shot on net that glanced off the woodwork, and then Emily Chojnicki put a shot on Govea that Govea was able to save. Bruehwiler would go again in the 60th minute as she sent another shot at Govea, hoping for the ball to get through, but Govea stood strong and saved the shot. Wheaton attempted another shot on Govea in the 67th minute, but Govea made another big save. 

WNE got their last goal in the 70th minute when Kyleigh Wheaton put a shot on the goalie, who saved it, but the ball bounced to a wide-open Gabby Sansone would boot the ball into the back of the net for her second goal of the game. The Golden Bears now led the Lyons 4-0. Mount Holyoke got their first shot on goal in the 80th minute when Juddy Nam sent an arching shot towards net that WNE's backup GK, Carina Joslin, would save. As the game wound down, MHC got one more shot on net when Ada Siepmann sent a shot towards Joslin, but Joslin would handle it and help the Golden Bears keep the shutout alive.

As the game ended, the stat line would show WNE with 29 shots to Mount Holyoke's three. Govea had 13 saves on the 17 shots that made it on the net. McLaughlin did not have to save any shots, but Joslin would save the two shots she faced. WNE finished with 13 corner kicks to MHC's one, and the fouls were even at the end, with both sides receiving six foul violations. The final score read 4-0 at the end of the game.

Inside the Lines:

• WNE hosted the Lyons of Mount Holyoke College in a non-conference matchup.
• Gabby Sansone got the scoring started in the 29th minute when her shot went off of a Mount Holyoke player and into the back of the net.
• Allison VanVolkenburg got her first goal of the season with a penalty kick goal in the 43rd minute of play.
• Samantha Vitka got her second goal of the season on an Allison Bruehwiler cross in the 52nd minute of play. Vitka headed the ball into the back of the net to give WNE a 3-0 lead.
• Sansone scored her second of the game in the 70th minute off of a Kyleigh Wheaton blocked shot to end the scoring with WNE leading 4-0.
• Molly McLaughlin and Carina Joslin helped the Golden Bears get their third shutout of the season and second in two games.
• The Golden Bears beat the Lyons 4-0.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• WNE travels to Endicott for a CCC matchup on Friday, September 30, at 4:00 pm.
• Mount Holyoke will return home for a conference matchup with Emerson College on Saturday, October 1, at 1:00 pm.