MIDDLETOWN, R.I. – Sophomore Kaitlyn Birrell (Hope, R.I.) scored a pair of goals and junior Liz Galla (Beacon Falls, Conn.) added another to lead the Salve Regina University women’s soccer team to a 3-0 win over Curry College in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) action Wednesday night at Gaudet Field.
Freshman Jessica Lane (Marshfield, Mass.) made five saves to earn her third shutout of the season for the Seahawks, who have won three of their last four matches and now stand at 6-6 on the season and 4-3 in TCCC. The Colonels – who entered the match tied for second in the conference – fell to 7-4 (5-2 TCCC).
Birrell staked the Seahawks to an early 1-0 lead when she finished off a cross from Galla for her 12th of the season at 9:23. Later in the half, she beat sophomore goalie Samantha Hardy (Pepperell, Mass.) on a breakaway with a shot into the lower left corner of the net. Galla capped the scoring with her sixth of the season on a breakaway at 56:26. Junior Jackie Lee (North Reading, Mass.) picked up the assist on the goal.
“The level of intensity that we need when we play an opponent like Curry was here today,” said Seahawks head coach Kerri Scroope. “We’re 4-0 at home in the conference and just beat the number two team in the conference, so this is huge for us. We’re excited about the second half of the season because there’s no reason we can’t be in the top four in the conference.”
Each team took 11 shots on net, and the Seahawks held a 4-1 edge in corner kicks. Hardy finished with three saves for Curry while junior Suzanne Jensen (Framingham, Mass.) was credited with four shots to lead the Colonels.
The Seahawks return to action on Saturday when they travel to Quincy, Mass. for a 12:30 pm contest with Eastern Nazarene. The Colonels host New England College Saturday at 5 p.m.
(Release Courtesy of Salve Regina Sports Information)
