Eldridge stuns Seahawks with goal in 87th minute

NEWPORT, R.I. (October 17, 2019) - Salve Regina University women's soccer (7-9-0) suffered its fifth-straight defeat despite outshooting visiting Becker College (8-6-2), 31-8 overall and 15-3 on frame, as Alyson Eldridge (Chesterfield, N.H.) scored the game's only goal in the 87th minute.

Eldridge, a first and second-half substitution for the Hawks, had re-entered the game in the 81st minute with the Seahawks still controlling the play. An injury to Hannah Trottier (Douglas, Mass.) in the 86th minute saw the sophomore exit and the Hawks played a courtesy kick back to Salve Regina goalkeeper Isabel Valerio (Proctor, Vt.). The Seahawk sophomore played a kick that reached midfield before Hawk senior Kyra Teixeira (Old Lyme, Conn.) headed it towards the Salve Regina side. Sophomore Kristen Beidleman (Holliston, Mass.) found Eldridge with some space on the left side and fed a pass to her teammate who slipped as she came back for the ball.

That change of direction helped Eldridge elude Seahawk sophomore Molly Leary (Portland, Conn.) before unloading a shot in the center of the frame and over the head of Valerio into the back of the net.

Amanda Bentz (Mt. Wolf, Pa.), who led all players with seven shots including three on net - last one in 84th minute, fed freshman teammate Meagan McLaughlin (East Hampton, Conn.) with an opportunity from six yards out, but the Seahawk stuck it right in the hands of Hawk sophomore goalkeeper Lyndsey Cobb-Wilkins (Elmira, N.Y.). That was the 31st and final shot for Salve Regina.

Cobb-Wilkins finished with 15 saves and improved to 3-0-0 in her three starts in net for Becker. Valerio (1-1-0) was making her second career start and had two saves on the day.

Salve Regina returns to league action when it travels to Curry College on Wednesday, October 23, for a 4 p.m. start. Becker posts its fifth win (all shutouts) in its last six games; the Hawks host Bay Path at noon on Saturday.