BENNINGTON, Vt. – On a blustery, cold Saturday afternoon, visiting Regis College knocked off Southern Vermont College 2-0 in New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) action at Everett Field during the Mountaineers' Senior and Pink Out Day.
The Pride notched a score in each half while sophomore keeper Rachel Gagnon (Ashford, Conn.) recorded her league-leading seventh shutout of the season to improve Regis' record to 9-6-2 overall and 6-2-1 in the NECC. Southern Vermont falls to 6-8-1 overall and 5-4 in the conference with the loss.
The two sides battled through the middle third of the field for the opening five minutes, neither getting the pass needed for a solid opportunity at goal. Six minutes in, however, an SVC foul gave the Pride a direct kick from 35 yards out on the left side of the field. With the wind at her back, junior Jackie Rocheville (Salem, Mass.) stepped up and took the kick for RC, carrying it up over Mountaineer sophomore goalie Katie Raymond's (Bristol, Conn.) head across the frame and into the right side of the net for her third of the season.
Following the Pride goal, play started to open up for both sides as they would have chances, although none resulted in a tally as physical play made for strong defensive holds and limited quality looks. The match would go into the break with RC holding its 1-0 advantage.
The second half saw much of the same until Regis added its insurance in the 66th minute when Pride junior captain Jasmin Vivar (Attleboro, Mass.) collected a loose ball that had been battered around the box. At the top of the penalty area, she took a touch and fired on goal, placing it out of Raymond's reach and into the back of the next for her second of the year and the 2-0 Regis lead.
Southern Vermont would be forced to start pressing its offense, a strategy that came inches from paying off with 15 minutes to go. Mountaineer freshman Melodie Orrell (Gloucester, Mass.) worked her way through the Pride defense and found herself no more than ten yards away from Gagnon; her shot was turned away by the fully-extended netminder who left the rebound rolling on the doorstep. SVC sophomore Rachel Cudo (West Hartford, Conn.) ran on to the loose ball and let it rip, but Gagnon again came up huge and used a cat-like reflex to preserve the shutout. That would be the hosts' best opportunity as the time wore down and Regis walked off with the 2-0 victory.
Gagnon recorded three saves in the win (9-5-2) while Raymond turned away two Pride shots in the loss (5-8-1).
Prior to the match, the Mountaineers recognized and honored the five senior members of the team: Lindsay Pilling (North Adams, Mass.), Kaitlyn Forant (Hardwick Vt.), Joecelyn Ortega (Chula Vista, Calif.), Erika Garay (Walnut, Calif.), and Catrina Cecchini (Montville, Conn.) who played for SVC the three seasons prior to this year, unable to play the 2013 campaign due to medical reasons.
Both squads now look ahead to the NECC postseason tournament starting next week, seeding and matchups still to be announced.
Senior members of the team are greeted by family and friends after being recognized and honored by the team: Lindsay Pilling (top left), Kaitlyn Forant (top right), Jocelyn Ortega (middle left), Erika Garay (middle right), Catrina Cechini (bottom)
