NORTHFIELD, Vt. – After allowing Norwich University to close to within one goal in the second half, Regis College scored three times in a five-minute span to pull away with a 5-1 victory Friday afternoon in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's soccer match at Sabine Field.
In the 11th minute, Maria Toumbouras (Walpole, Mass.) gained possession for the Pride, raced down the field, and was tripped up within the box. Aria Ulmer (Henniker, N.H.) converted on the penalty kick opportunity for her first goal of the season to give Regis the 1-0 advantage.
The Pride had a chance to extend their lead just over one minute later, as Allison Meade (Stoneham, Mass.) placed a corner kick in dangerous territory, but the combination of the Norwich defense and the left post kept the ball out of the net. Regis controlled the action for most of the first half, although the Cadets did create a scoring opportunity right before halftime as Pride goalie Cassidy Van Cott (Santa Monica, Calif.) caught a solid shot from Bella Roy.
Regis continued its offensive pressure at the start of the second half, culminating with its second goal of the match as Ashley Morin (Thompson, Conn.) sent a pass from the right side of the field towards Hailey Lovell (Wakefield, Mass.). Lovell connected on the ball with her right foot and chipped a shot over Rebecca Karis's head into the net for her second goal of the season.
The Pride kept creating scoring chances, but Karis made three saves as the second half went along to keep her team within striking distance. In the 75th minute, the Cadets finally gained possession and made the most of it, as Isabel Doherty sent a blast from long distance past Van Cott into the net to close the Norwich deficit to 2-1.
Lovell increased her offensive pursuit, putting two shots on goal that were turned away by Karis. The second one resulted in a corner kick, and Meade's entry ball found Alexa Katsoulis (Oxford, Mass.), who directed the ball into the back of the net for her second career goal to reestablish Regis' two-goal advantage.
Just over two minutes later, Meadow Comeiro (Woburn, Mass.) corralled a long pass from Elisa D'Sa (Bellmore, N.Y.), eluded Karis, and found an open net for her first career goal. Lovell would earn her second goal of the match in the 86th minute as she took advantage of a thru ball from Emma Nunnemacher (West Boylston, Mass.) and converted on her team-high seventh shot attempt of the contest.
The Pride outshot the Cadets, 20-6, and created six corner kick opportunities while allowing just two corner kicks chances for Norwich. Van Cott finished with three saves as she picked up the victory, and Karis earned seven saves, including five saves in the second half.
Regis College (3-2-1, 2-0 GNAC) starts a five-match homestand Wednesday, Sept. 21, against Anna Maria, with kickoff scheduled for 5 p.m. at Regis Stadium.