BABSON PARK, Mass. -- Junior Meghan Andrew (North Easton, Mass.) scored the game's only goal in the 50th minute and sophomore keeper Elizabeth Estabrook (Falmouth, Maine) earned her first collegiate shutout as the host Babson College Beavers defeated the visiting Endicott College Gulls, 1-0, in a non-conference women's soccer match at Hartwell-Rogers Field on Tuesday afternoon.
With their third straight victory, the Beavers evened their season record at 4-4-1, while Endicott also saw its record move to 4-4-1 with the loss.
Babson nearly jumped in front during a wild flurry just 9:15 into the contest, beginning with a beautiful give-and-go pass from senior captain Amy Festa (Medfield, Mass.) to sophomore Jessica DiPhilippo (Falmouth, Maine) on the right wing. DiPhilippo lofted a shot from 17 yards out that hit the left post, and the rebound trickled back out to the top of the box. Andrew then charged in and hit a rocket toward the right side of the goal mouth, where Gulls' sophomore keeper Katie Donnelly (Madison, Conn.) made a spectacular diving save to her left. DiPhilippo immediately pounced on the rebound and one-timed another shot on net, but Connelly made another clutch stop before the ball was finally cleared away by the Endicott defense.
Endicott's two best chances of the opening period did not involve a shot. Less than two minutes in, a corner kick by senior Micaela Hogan (Salisbury, Mass.) bounced all the way through the Babson box before being cleared by the Beaver defense. Then in the final 15 minutes of the half, junior Heather Moody (Dunstable, Mass.) took control of a deflected ball and nearly broke in all alone on Estabrook, but senior back Kelly Hanly (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) made a potential goal-saving slide tackle at the top of the box to keep the game scoreless.
The Beavers eventually broke through just over four minutes into the second half, as sophomore Carly Martyniak (Foxboro, Mass.) hit a ball over the Endicott defense down the left side of the field. Andrew quickly ran it down and chipped a perfect shot over a charging Donnelly and inside the far post for her fourth goal of the season at 49:08.
The Gulls had two decent chances to tie the contest, both of which started with free kicks from first-year Paige Marinelli (Burlington, Conn.). Her long service from the right sideline was headed over the crossbar by junior Nicole Fournier (Milford, Mass.) at 51:10, and her kick off a restart on the left endline was chipped by senior Chelsea Garlock (Meriden, Conn.) from 10 yards out into the waiting hands of Estabrook at 73:43.
From that point on, the Babson backfield, led by Hanly, senior Nichole Vargas (Warren, R.I.), Martyniak, and sophomore Emily Aliberti (Winchester, Mass.), limited Endicott to just one more shot attempt in the final 16 minutes of regulation – a bid from senior Christina Vellucci (Saugus, Mass.) that drifted wide right with 1:30 remaining.
Estabrook finished with two saves in net for Babson, as she earned the first victory and shutout of her collegiate career. At the other end, Donnelly recorded a total of four saves in defeat for the Gulls as she saw her record dip to 1-1-1. Chelsea Garlock (Meriden, Conn.) and Paige Marinelli (Burlington, Conn.) each registerd a shot on goal.
Endicott will host the University of New England on Friday at 5 p.m. as part of the homecoming festivities. The Beavers return to action when they welcome Springfield College at 2:30 p.m. as part of Back-to-Babson Weekend.
