Chargers Open Season With Win

September 7, 2015

WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The University of New Haven women's soccer team got a goal from Rachel Dempsey (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) in the first minute of play and made it stand up, opening season with a 1-0 victory against the Georgian Court Lions at Kayo Field.

With the win, New Haven is 1-0-0. The Lions fall to 0-1-0.

As the first minute wound down, Carlie Schecht (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) made a run down the left side before serving the ball into the box. Dempsey was able to collect and send the ball past the keeper for a 1-0 New Haven lead. Neither team mounted a serious threat through the remainder of the half as the score held into halftime.

In the second stanza, the Lions had their best opportunity about 10 minutes in when Elizabeth Kroon split two defenders and had a one-on-one chance just inside the top of the area, but Deandra Nash (Deer Park, N.Y./Deer Park) came up big, stopping the breakaway to preserve the lead.

Things got tense for the Chargers late in the half as Georgian Court had a pair of chances off a corner kick in the 79th minute, but Nash made one save and stepping in behind the keeper, Miranda Smith (Magnolia, Del./Caesar Rodney) prevented the rebound from finding the back of the net to help preserve the win.

Nash made four saves in earning her first clean sheet of the year.

For the match, New Haven outshot the Lions 16-10 including an 8-5 edge in attempts on net. It also held a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks.

The Chargers are next in action on Saturday, Sept. 5 when they host No. 14 Mercy at 7:00 p.m. in a non-conference contest.