Dye heads Seahawks in right direction, 4-3

NEWPORT, R.I. - Trailing 3-1 in the second half, Salve Regina University women's soccer scored three unanswered goals to defeat visiting Rhode Island College, 4-3, in non-league action at Reynolds Field. Sophomore Ellie Dye (La Jolla, Calif.) headed in the game-winner at 77:24 on a corner kick from junior tri-captain Anna Shultz (Higganum, Conn.).

The Anchorwomen, who fell to 1-3, had a two-goal lead on two occasions. Freshman midfielder Stephanie Ricci (Smithfield, R.I.) scored an unassisted goal on a breakaway at 7:49. Junior forward Gabrielle Turner (Smithfield, R.I.) also tallied an unassisted goal at the 26:33 mark for a 2-0 lead.

Salve Regina (2-2) got on the board 90 seconds before halftime when junior Melissa Figueiredo (East Bridgewater, Mass.) came through the middle to drive her shot past starting RIC goalkeeper Audrey Maia (Norton, Mass.).

Turner turned a corner kick from Ricci into the third Rhode Island College goal, and another two-goal cushion, two and a half minutes into the second frame. Salve Regina took control of the game from there.

Freshman forward Francesca Galeazzi (Lynn, Mass.) continued with constant pressure and finally connected with her first of two goals when classmate Courtney Bouchard (Middleton, Mass.) passed up the middle at 54:03. Justina Thoma (Canterbury, Conn.) then subbed in at goalkeeper for the visitors and the game-tying goal came off the foot of Galeazzi after Ielish Barbati (Marshfield, Mass.) headed a Thoma punt to Figueiredo who then fed her freshman teammate for the score.

The Seahawks, who had eight first-year players in the contest, almost had the go-ahead goal come from newly-inserted Lea Adams (Sandwich, Mass.) but her breakaway attempt went wide.

Dye, a backbone on the Seahawk defense, stepped up to the offensive box when Shultz prepared her corner kick. The ball soared right to the middle of the box and Dye headed it over Thoma.

The Anchorwomen had a pair of corner kick opportunities and shots by Turner (high) and Elsa Almeida (Coventry, R.I.) (wide left) in the final 12 minutes.

Salve Regina, which trails in the all-time series (11-7-2), has won five and tied another in the last seven meetings with Rhode Island College. The Seahawks host their Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) opener on Saturday when the Bison of Nichols College come to Newport (12 p.m.). The Anchorwomen will try to end a three-match losing streak at Newbury College on Saturday.