Babson bests Salve Regina in non-conference matchup

BABSON PARK, Mass.—Sophomore Jessica Fernandes (Pawtucket, R.I.) scored once in each half to lift Babson College to a 2-0 victory over visiting Salve Regina University in non-conference women's soccer action on Tuesday afternoon at Hartwell-Rogers Field.

Babson has won back-to-back games and is now 7-4-2 overall, while Salve Regina slips to 7-6-1 after suffering its second consecutive loss.

Senior Taylor Goldsborough, junior Victoria Penta (Belmont, Mass.) and first-year Maggie McCabe (Weston, Mass.) each recorded an assist for the Beavers. Sophomore goalkeepers Maddison Gierschick (Hopkinton, Mass.) and Elizabeth Mycock (Windham, Maine) combined to make three saves while posting the team's seventh clean sheet of the season.

The Green and White outshot the Seahawks 9-3 over the opening 45 minutes and had a pair of early scoring chances as McCabe hit the crossbar in the seventh minute, while senior Olivia Kerester(Chappaqua, N.Y.) sent a shot just wide of the left post in the 13th minute. Fernandes broke put the hosts on the board in the 31st minute as she took a centering pass from Penta and hit a low shot past charging Salve Regina goalkeeper Carly Pala (Milford, Conn.) and inside the right post for a 1-0 lead.

Fernandes doubled the Beavers' advantage with her sixth goal of the season in the 58th minute. After collecting a pass into the box from McCabe, she cut back inside and hit a bouncing shot past Pala to make it 2-0. Babson had its best chance to add to the lead in the 76th minute, but Pala turned away sophomore Kathryn Clark's (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) shot at the right post and then dove to her left to deny senior Jennifer Narlee's (Medfield, Mass.) rebound attempt.

Pala made six of her eight saves in the second half for the Seahawks.

The Beavers finished with a 19-5 edge in shots and attempted four of the game's five corner kicks.

Both teams return to action on Saturday as Babson hosts Clark at 1 p.m., while Salve Regina takes on Curry at 12 p.m.

GAME NOTES

·       Tuesday's match was the first between Babson and Salve Regina since 2007. The Beavers are 8-0-0 all-time against the Seahawks.