Erie, Pa. – The Le Moyne College women's soccer team were defeated by the Lakers of Mercyhurst University Thursday afternoon.
 
Le Moyne (0-9-3), (0-2-2 NEC)
Starters: McPheron (GK), Brown, Gironda, Day, Calle, Cookinham, Vigliotti, LeBlanc, Kantak, Pietrzak, Cutuli
 
Mercyhurst (1-9-2), (1-2-1 NEC)
Starters: Kumer (GK), Cowburn, Cappiello, Sievering, Fraser, Hammermeister, Stoehr, Fiorillo, Maruna, Taylor, Swenson
 
Recap:
 
The Dolphins and Lakers squared off in what was the fourth game of NEC play for both sides. Le Moyne entered the game following a 3-2 loss against league leaders FDU on Sunday, as Mercyhurst fell 2-0 to Howard on Sunday as well. Both programs were looking to capture their first wins of the season.
 
Le Moyne started the game on the front foot, as senior midfielder Lindsey LeBlanc (Westminister, Mass,/St. Bernard's) registered the first shot of the game for either side. Her attempt forced sophomore goalkeeper Rylee Kumer to make her first save of the game, as the shot headed towards the bottom right of the Laker net.
 
Over the next 20 minutes of play, neither side were able to create any clear cut chances, as LeBlanc recorded the next shot on target in the 23^rd minute, forcing Kumer to make her second save of the game. LeBlanc added another attempt, this time off target.
 
Fifth year midfielder Gabriella Sylstra (Little Falls, N.Y./Little Falls/Richard Bland/Old Dominion), graduate student Danielle Casey (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa), and freshman midfielder Ella Lathrop (Walworth, N.Y./Ruben A. Cirillo) all made their first appearances of the game before the 30^th minute of action.
 
Le Moyne came close to finding its opening goal in the 31^st minute after Sylstra took a shot that hit the woodwork as the game remained tied at 0-0.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Logan Cookinham (Poland, N.Y./Poland) recorded a shot in the 35^th minute, forcing Kumer to make her third save of the half, diving to her lower left side of the goal. Cookinham and Kumer added another shot and save to their tally three minutes later, as the Dolphins controlled most of the chances created throughout the 1^st half.
 
The two sides entered the break level at 0-0, as Le Moyne prevented Mercyhurst from recording a single shot attempt during the opening 45 minutes of play.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Mikayla McPheron (Rome, N.Y./Rome Free Academy) registered her first save of the game in the 47^th minute of play after freshman midfielder Molly Taylor took a shot that went down the center of the goal. She added her second save of the day three minutes later, this time off of a shot taken by redshirt-sophomore forward Madison Sievering, resulting in another save down the middle for McPheron. 50 seconds later, she added her third save of the game after freshman midfielder Sadie Lewis took a shot on target down the middle of the goal.
 
Le Moyne created the next chance of the game in the 56^th minute after LeBlanc took her fourth shot of the game, also forcing Kumer to make her fourth save of the game. Following a shot taken by sophomore forward Alivia Day (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) that went out for a goal kick, Sylstra came back into the game in the 59^th minute hoping to provide a spark to the 'Phins attack. Senior midfielder Alaina Carro (Holland Patent, N.Y./Holland Patent/Wheeling) made her first appearance of the game just one minute after Sylstra's appearance.
 
The Dolphins also brought on freshman forward Kaitlyn Gilhooly (Chicopee, Mass./Chicopee Comprehensive) and Casey as the 'Phins continued to push for its opening goal of the game. Sophomore forward Nicole Calle (Providence, R.I./Cumberland), freshman defender/midfielder Finley Brown (South Portland, Maine/Cheverus), Lathrop and Day were also brought into the game in the 75^th minute.
 
Junior midfielder Giovanna Vigliotti (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee) forced Kumer to make her fifth save of the game a minute after the substitutions, collecting the rebound and taking another shot, however over the top of the goal and out for a goal kick. In the 80^th minute, Day forced Kumer into another save, but still the score remained tied at 0-0.
 
The Lakers scored the opening goal of the game in the 87^th minute of the game. Mercyhurst began its attack, cutting in from the wing before the ball bounced around the box before being met by freshman midfielder Meredith Swenson, who's first attempt was blocked but she gathered the rebound before putting the ball into the right side of the goal to give the Lakers the 1-0 advantage.
 
Le Moyne's Cookinham earned the final chance of the game for the 'Phins in the 89^th minute, but her attempt was saved by Kumer as the game came to a close with the Lakers walking away with the points.
 
Notable Numbers:

• Logan Cookinham and Giovanna Vigliotti have started all 12 games
• Logan Cookinham has played all 1,080 minutes of the season
• Le Moyne recorded 8 shots on target (most this season)
• Le Moyne's 15 shots are the 2^nd most this season (19 against Delaware St.)

 
What's Next:
 
The Dolphins have a week before their next contest against Howard University next Thursday. Action is scheduled to kick off at 2:00 P.M. at Ted Grant Field.