WINONA, Minn. – The Carleton College women’s soccer team (2-4-1, 1-1 MIAC) got first half goals from sophomores Cassie Burke (Sunfish Lake, Minn./Minnehaha Academy) and Niki Tomita (Redwood City, Calif./Woodside) as the Knights posted a 2-0 victory at Saint Mary’s University (4-1-1, 0-1-1 MIAC).
The Knights maintained control throughout the match, taking 18 shots while the defense maintained excellent shape and did not give up any dangerous opportunities, preventing Saint Mary’s from getting a single shot on goal.
Burke notched her first score of the year in the 11th minute. Abby Wills (So./Portland, Ore./St. Mary’s) fed her down the middle, and Burke used her speed to carry the ball behind the Cardinals’ last defender. She committed the keeper inside the 18-yard box and passed a composed ball on the ground, slipping it under the outstretched legs of Mariana Sanchez. It was the first goal yielded by the senior goalkeeper in over 386 minutes of action as Burke became the seventh different player to score for the Knights this season.
The other goal arrived in the 39th minute. Zoe Suche (Fy./Calgary, Alb./Western Canada) sent a weighted ball into the 18. As it bounced, Sanchez came out to intercept, but Tomita had gotten behind the Cardinals back line and got there first. She posted her second score in as many games by sending the ball over the Cardinal netminder and into a wide open net. Carleton has now scored seven of its nine goals this season in the first half.
The Knights had a number of great chances to add to the lead, but Sanchez recorded 10 saves. At the other end of the pitch, rookie Beth Ashinsky (Mount Kisco, N.Y./Horace Greeley) recorded her first collegiate shutout.
The loss was the first of the year for Saint Mary's which entered the contest with a 4-0-1 ledger.
Carleton returns home for a non-conference get-together with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on Wednesday, Sept. 23. Knights Online will feature a video webcast of the 4:00 p.m. match.
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