Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne women's soccer team dropped their season opener to Lake Erie College at Ted Grant Field on Saturday by a score of 1-0.
The team came out strong in their first contest at home for the 2021 season, creating plenty of chances in the first half.

Graduate student Maddison Vine (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Lisbon) created scoring opportunities and distributed to others from the forward position early on in the match. In the sixth minute, she put pressure on the defense and earned a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. Soon after, Vine was causing havoc in the attacking third once again, delivering a pass on the ground across the box to the feet of senior Hannah Brown-Trice (Seneca Falls, N.Y./Mynderse Academy), who put the shot just wide of the net. Moments later, Vine whipped in another threatening pass, this time to first year Brooke Wilson (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton), who ripped a shot on goal that was saved by the Lake Erie goalkeeper.

With 13 minutes left in the first half, Wilson was successfully able to gain possession outside the box, withstanding contact from the defense, and laid it off to redshirt freshman Magda Aspholm (Östersund, Sweden/Jamtlands Gymnasium Wargentin), who sent the ball sailing above the net and behind the line for a goal kick.

Le Moyne kept the pressure on through the end of the first half. Redshirt freshman Rylee Alston (Endwell, N.Y./Maine-Endwell) made a crafty move past her defender down the right sideline and played a ball across that led to a Dolphins corner kick. Senior Ali Greco (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna), who was solid all game long in the midfield, helping control possession and taking her space going forward, sent in a cross during the 36th minute that led to a Le Moyne header on goal.

The Dolphins went into the locker room at halftime with the score all even at 0-0.

The team came out just as strong in the second half as they did in the first half. Less than one minute after play resumed, Greco sent a missile with her right foot from well beyond the 18-yard box that nearly gave Le Moyne their first goal of the year, but hit the crossbar and flew back out into the field.

Junior goalkeeper Allison Moreau (Sauquoit, N.Y./Sauquoit Valley) was strong in net throughout the contest, making three saves in the second half. However, the Storm were able to break through in the 57th minute when Jillian Newlan collected a loose ball in the right side of the penalty, evaded Moreau and deposited the ball into the net from five yards out.

Wilson, Vine and redshirt freshman Danielle Casey (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) continued to attack the Lake Erie defense and create chances. In the 59th minute, Wilson made a nice move on the top right corner of the box while being guarded closely by the Lake Erie defender, cutting the ball back to her left foot and letting a shot fly just above the leaping goalkeeper and landing on top of the net for a goal kick.

As the Dolphins applied relentless pressure in pursuit of the equalizing goal, Moreau came up big with a diving save off of a Lake Erie breakaway shot attempt, deflecting the ball with her left hand wide of the goalpost.

Senior Vittoria Fuduli (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow), playing her first game back in almost three years following a knee injury, was fantastic for the Dolphins as their center back and the anchor of their defense.

The team will be back in action on Saturday, September 11th when they visit Caldwell University at 11:00 a.m.