WNE Achieves Fifth Straight Win, Takes Down Suffolk 1-0

Boston, Mass. (October 19, 2022) - The Golden Bears headed to Boston to take on the Suffolk Rams. The women's team went into Boston looking for their fifth win in a row. The Rams were looking to bounce back from their 3-1 loss at Curry College on Saturday.

Records:

• Western New England: 10-4-1 (5-1-1)
• Suffolk University: 4-7-3 (1-4-2)

How it Happened:

The game started pretty slowly, with both teams trying to possess the ball and make a move toward the net. Both teams were unsuccessful, though, as the ball was turned over to the other team. The game went back and forth for the first 11 minutes. That was until, in the 12th minute, Suffolk's Kylie Flynn got a shot off, but a WNE defender blocked it before it got to the WNE GK, Molly McLaughlin. A few fouls would follow in the next few minutes, but still, the ball traveled from side to side with a few crosses, but not many shots. The teams tried to get a feel for each other before making more moves toward the net. The 19th minute saw the first shot on net. WNE's Summer Hathaway got a shot off and past Suffolk defenders, but Suffolk's GK, Maddie Brooke, kept WNE off the score sheet. That was followed in the 23rd minute by Jazmya Harris testing McLaughlin. McLaughlin stood strong and made the save. WNE would take back possession, and in the 27th minute, Isabella Montalvo put a shot on net that Brooke saved. That was quickly followed up two minutes later by an Allison Bruehwiler shot on Brooke. Brooke made the big save and pushed it away from net. However, Lindsay Reidy was there for WNE to get another shot off, but the ball was pushed just wide of the net. Emily Chojnicki got in on the action in the 31st minute. Chojnicki got a shot off, but it did not worry Brooke too much as it sailed wide of the net. 

In the 32nd minute, WNE saw arguably their best opportunity of the first half as Montalvo got a head on a corner kick from Chojnicki. Brooke was there for the save to deny Montalvo and the Golden Bears the opening goal. Montalvo got one more opportunity, though. In the 40th minute, Montalvo sent the last shot on net for either team. The ball was sent in on Brooke, but Brooke made the save once more to keep the score even at zero going into halftime. 

At the end of the first half, WNE held more shot attempts than Suffolk (7-2). They also held more shots on net than Suffolk, with five shots to one. For that reason, Brooke had more saves than McLaughlin. Brooke saved five of five shots that were on net. McLaughlin made the save on the only shot that got to her. The Golden Bears also had control of the corner kicks as they attempted three to Suffolk's none. Finally, Suffolk was called for more fouls as they were penalized seven times to WNE's four. The second half had more action to come.

The second half got out to a similar start, but then in the 51st minute, Chojnicki went for goal, but again the shot went wide of net, and Brooke was not tested. The ball moved from side to side as both teams tried to find the opening goal, but nothing came from it. The 59th minute saw Suffolk get their second opportunity of the game. Grace Owens went for the net, but McLaughlin kept her shot out of the back of net. That was followed in the 60th minute by a Malina LaCapra shot off of a free kick. After scoring on one on Saturday, LaCapra honed in on the goal and sent another shot flying, but Brooke knew what was coming and made the save. In the 62ndminute, Bruehwiler sent a corner into the box. The ball found Emma French, who sent the ball toward Samantha Vitka. Vitka redirected the ball at the goal with power and was able to get the ball past Brooke finally. The Golden Bears now lead the pivotal conference matchup by a score of 1-0. WNE did not take their foot off the pedal, though. LaCapra and Bruehwiler had eyes for goal in the 64th and 65th minutes. Brooke was able to make both saves and keep the Golden Bears at only one goal. Gabby Sansone got in on the action in the 66th minute with a shot that missed high of the net. A few minutes later, Sansone had two more shots sent toward the net, but neither made Brooke make a save. 

WNE kept the pressure going and did not let Suffolk get near McLaughlin during the next several minutes. The pressure continued when Abby Free sent a corner kick to Reidy, who got a head on the ball and directed it at Brooke. Brooke was there again, though, to make another big save. Sansone then sent a header at Brooke in the 77th minute. Brooke kept the Rams in it by making the save again. Vitka looked to get her second goal of the night with two shots after that. The first went wide, and the second made it on net, but Brooke was there again. Maddie Brooke did not let the Rams give away the game to the Golden Bears. In the 86th and 88th minutes, Suffolk finally got more shots off, but both shots went wide, and those were Suffolk's final shots of the game. WNE took home the win, 1-0.

The final stats showed a much larger difference in the game than the score showed. WNE had 21 shots during the game, with 12 on the net. Suffolk only had six shots, with two on the net. Maddie Brooke made 11 saves, and Molly McLaughlin made two. WNE attempted six corners, with one of them leading to a goal. Suffolk had no corner kicks. Finally, Suffolk was called for 11 fouls, and WNE was called for seven. This win meant the fifth in a row for WNE. 

Inside the Lines:

• WNE traveled to Boston looking to secure their fifth win in a row and keep climbing the rankings of the CCC.
• Samantha Vitka scored the lone goal of the competition in the 62nd minute off of a corner kick from Allison Bruehwiler that Emma French sent over to Vitka.
• Suffolk GK, Maddie Brooke, made 11 saves on 12 shots faced.
• Molly McLaughlin made both saves that were sent on net.
• WNE won their fifth straight game by a score of 1-0.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• WNE returns home on Saturday, October 22, at 2:30 pm as the Golden Bears play host to the Roger Williams Hawks.
• Suffolk will head out to Gordon College for a 10:00 am game on Saturday, October 22.