NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – Sophomore forward Katie Holder converted a pass from Kimberly An late in the game and Army made that stand in a 1-0 defeat of  host Central Connecticut State Friday evening. The win and shutout are Army’s third of the season as the Black Knights leveled their season mark at 3-3-1.

 Army and CCSU (-5-0) each booted five shots with three on goal in the first half, but neither could penetrate the other’s net with freshman Jordan Cassalia pulling up with three saves for the Black Knights and Nikola Deiter doing likewise for the Blue Devils.

The defensive battled continued into the second half with Army ripping  off six shots before breaking through on its seventh attempt when Holder’s shot from the right comer landed in the top of the Blue Devils net in the 85th minute to snap a scoreless deadlock. The goal and game winner are her first of the season and the tally is her career second. An’s assist is her first of the season and career ninth.

Army ripped off eight shots to CCSU’s five in the second half with just one on goal that was rejected by Cassalia in the 68th minute. The freshman keeper finished with four saves in recording her third shutout of the season.

The Black Knightsled 13-10 in shots and  held a 9-2 corner kick advantage with five in the first half and four in the second half.

“It was hard fought game back and forth,” commented first-year Army coach Marcia McDermott. “Our team really played well together and created very good chances. Our effort together at the end of the game yielded the goal. It was a combination of a great individual effort from Katie (Holder), our team’s effort off a corner kick, and multiple chances that put the game away.”

Army stretched its unbeaten string in its series with CCSU to five in pulling out to a 4-1-1 advantage.

The Black Knights, closing out a season-long five game road stretch, returns home to host Rhode Island Sunday afternoon, 1 p.m. at Clinton Field. It is Army’s firsts home game since late August.

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