BEVERLY, Mass. - The Endicott women's soccer team fell to visiting Montclair St. on Sunday by a 2-1 final. With the result, Endicott's record evens at 1-1, while Montclair improves to 3-0 with the victory.
The two teams would play a scoreless opening frame, but it was the visiting Red Hawks applying the pressure to the Gulls for the first 45 minutes of play. Montclair St. out-shot Endicott 12-4 in the half, including an 8-3 advantage in shots on goal. Endicott keeper Jacqueline Ruggiero (Dedham, Mass.) stood up to the test, saving all eight scoring attempts by the Red Hawks.
The second half would see a quick change in momentum as the Gulls got the scoring underway in the 58th minute of play. That was when Lindsey Papa (Tolland, Conn.) was able to get loose down the right wing and beat her defender. She then fired a through ball into the box that found the foot of Julia Matus (East Greenwich, R.I.), who was then able to one touch a beautiful chip shot over the out-stretched arms of Montclair's keeper to give Endicott the 1-0 advantage at the 57:32 mark.
From there, Montclair St. would seize momentum back, evening the score at 1-1 in the 71st minute, before grabbing the lead in the 79th minute to go up 2-1, a lead that would hold true to the final whistle.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Matus has now scored three of Endicott's four goals in the opening two matches of the year, and has already tied her career-high that she set in 2021.
- Ruggiero made a career-best 10 saves in the losing effort, besting her previous career-high of nine that she set against UMass Boston in 2021.
WHAT'S NEXT
Endicott will play host to Wellesley on Wednesday night at 7:00 PM before heading to New York for matches at Hartwick and Oneonta on Saturday and Sunday. Montclair is also back in action on Wednesday when the Red Hawks play host to Vassar at 7:00 PM.
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