West Haven, Conn. – The Le Moyne College women's soccer team rode the momentum that they created from taking down #25 Franklin Pierce University on Saturday to earn three more points in the NE10 standings with a 2-0 victory over the University of New Haven Chargers on Saturday afternoon in Connecticut.
 
The Dolphins scored twice just two minutes apart midway through the first half to get the upper hand on the Chargers. Both goals were scored by forward Avery Maxam (Clinton, N.Y./Clinton), the second and third goals of her freshman campaign.

Sophomore defender Hildur Unnarsdóttir (Kópavogur, Iceland/Commercial College of Iceland) recorded her third assist of the season on the first goal, then recorded her second assist of the game on the second goal.

Lindsey LeBlanc (Westminster, Mass./St. Bernard's) was also credited with an assist on Maxam's second goal, which is the second assist recorded in 2022 by the first-year player.

"This was the most complete game that the team has put together this season on both sides of the ball. It was a complete team effort and a very important result for the conference standings. The team executed the game plan very well. Two set-piece goals in the first half were very important to set the game properly. In the second half the team managed the lead very well while still looking for another goal, and most importantly being able to maintain a good defensive shape and absorb the pressure from New Haven during some parts of the second half. We're very proud of the group and very happy for the players that their hard work is paying off, and the team has a result to show for it. We're looking forward to building on this momentum generated during our last two games," said Le Moyne Interim Head Coach Jaro Zawislan after the game.

Le Moyne put four shots on goal during the first half compared to two for the Chargers.

With 27 minutes remaining in the first half, a ball was played in behind the Le Moyne defense for New Haven forward Madison Blonde. Blonde made her run down the right wing and dribbled into the right side of the Le Moyne penalty area. Center back Katelyn Courcy (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) was sprinting back to recover and when Blonde took a big touch in the box Courcy went in and made a clean challenge to dispossess the Chargers forward. Courcy won the ball in the box cleanly and was able to maintain possession and clear the ball up field.

The Dolphins were able to take control of the game last time out against #25 Franklin Pierce on set pieces taken by Unnarsdóttir, and Saturday told a similar story.

With 20 minutes remaining in the first half the Dolphins were awarded a corner kick from the left flag, and Unnarsdóttir went over to take it for Le Moyne.

The sophomore outside defender drove her cross in the air towards the edge of the six-yard box. As the ball sailed over the initial crowd of players at the near post, Maxam got in front of her defender near the far post and skillfully hit the ball out of the air with the instep of her left foot.

Maxam's shot had plenty of pace and flew past the goalkeeper into the right side of the net, perfectly placed inside the right post to register the second goal of her freshman campaign and give the 'Phins a 1-0 lead.

Less than two minutes after putting in the go-ahead goal Maxam drew a foul near the right sideline, just beyond midfield inside the Chargers' half.

Unnarsdóttir restarted played by sending a long kick in the air to the top of the New Haven 18-yard box where Reagan Sames (Rexford, N.Y./Shenendehowa), with a defender right on her back, jumped in the air to try and flick the ball on to the left side of the box.

The ball flew just above Sames' head and bounced behind her inside the box. LeBlanc had gotten away from the defender that was marking her and got a touch on the ball after the first bounce.

LeBlanc knocked the ball to the edge of the six-yard box where Maxam was able to touch the ball past the goalkeeper and knock it into the back of the net to tally her second goal of the game and double her team's lead. Both Unnarsdóttir and LeBlanc were credited with an assist on the goal, giving Unnarsdóttir her second assist of the afternoon

In the 55^th minute, persistent pressure from Lainey Foti (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) caused a New Haven turnover at the edge of their defensive third.

Broke Wilson (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton) won the ball for Le Moyne and found space in front of her down the left wing. Wilson dribbled diagonally into the left side of the penalty area towards goal and just before the scrambling New Haven defenders could get to her the sophomore attacker poked the ball with her right foot towards the right side of the net. Amanda McQuillan appeared to get a hand on the ball and deflect it away from goal. The ball hit the crossbar and went out of bounds, but the referee awarded the Chargers a goal kick, contending that McQuillan did not make the save but instead that Wilson's shot hit the crossbar directly.

Following a Le Moyne goal kick with under 14 minutes left in the game Foti sent a pass past midfield for Wilson. With three New Haven defenders back on defense Wilson carried the ball down the left-center potion of the field before cutting into the middle of the Le Moyne attacking third. As the left side of the defense gravitated towards Wilson the sophomore forward sent a pass to Alva Larsson (Malung, Sweden/Lugnetgymnasiet), who was open to her right. Larsson took a dribble into the penalty area and took a shot with her right foot that was caught by McQuillan.

With just under 10 minutes left, following two consecutive 50/50 challenges between Le Moyne and New Haven players at the edge of New Haven's attacking third, in the center-left portion of the field, the ball popped loose in the middle of the field. Blonde and Courcy both had a jump on the ball, and while the two chased after it New Haven midfielder Alida Bates was running wide open down the right wing. If Blonde got to the ball first, all she had to do was the tap the ball in the direction that she was running and Bates would have a free run on goal, but Courcy used a burst of speed to get the ball first and carry it towards the sideline, eventually winning a throw in for Le Moyne.

Le Moyne goalkeeper Allison Moreau (Sauquoit, N.Y./Sauquoit Valley) made five saves during the game, including three in the second half to record her fourth clean sheet and second shutout victory of the season, but the Le Moyne defense did not allow a single shot by the Chargers offense during the final 20 minutes of the match.

Courcy, Unnarsdóttir, and Sames each played the full 90 minutes as part of the Le Moyne back line, while freshman Jadyn Kantak (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) played 63 minutes after making her third consecutive start of the season at left back.

Similar to the match against FPU, Lara Lobe (Trebnje, Slovenia/Gymnasium Novo mesto) provided the Dolphins with solid play at left back down the stretch after entering the game as a substitute.

Wilson played 87 minutes as the lone striker for Le Moyne and recorded three shots. Marissa Lisikatos (Cold Spring, N.Y./Haldan) played the full 90 minutes as a center midfielder for the 'Phins.

The win gives the Dolphins seven points in NE10 play and will move them up a few spots in the conference standings.

The Le Moyne College women's soccer team will be back in action on Wednesday, October 5 when they travel to Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. to play a non-conference match against #17 Mercy College.