BENNINGTON, Vt. — A surge of late goals saw Southern Vermont College fall 4-1 to New England College Tuesday afternoon in non-conference women's soccer action at Everett Field.

SVC (3-4) scored late in the first half to make it a 1-1 game at the break, a tally that stood until the 76th minute of the match. That's when NEC (4-5-1) started a 4:36 stretch in which the visiting Pilgrims scored three times for a comfortable advantage they would carry to victory.

Mountaineer senior Abigail Rosas (Manteca, Calif.) scored the lone Southern Vermont goal when she sent a first half corner kick directly into the net. New England junior captain Rachel Thomas (Raleigh, N.C.) had two assists in the win while senior Katie Hatch (Old Orchard Beach, Maine) scored what proved to be the game winner.

Southern Vermont now gears up to begin the New England Collegiate Conference schedule, hosting Daniel Webster College for a 1 p.m. start on Saturday during SVC's Family Weekend. New England next visits Green Mountain College on Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. North Atlantic Conference contest.

Following their shots led to the Pilgrims getting on the scoreboard first when NEC banged home a rebound in the 12th minute. Thomas had a take from the left third of the pitch, placing it high on frame; SVC sophomore keeper Melissa Mascari (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) was able to get up and punch the ball off the crossbar, but the carom fell right into the middle of the box where New England sophomore Sara Locke (Springfield, Vt.) was waiting for it. Locke one-timed the ball into the back of the net, her first of the season putting the Pilgrims up 1-0.

New England had its chances through the remainder of the half, holding a large advantage in time of possession. The Mountaineers were able to keep NEC from increasing its lead, however, as they forced low-percentage shots from afar. That would pay dividends as SVC made the most of one of its trips down the field with the half coming to a close. Rosas took a corner for Southern Vermont from the right side, curling it perfectly over the heads of all players in front of the net and into the back of the goal; the captain's first of the season and second tally while at SVC tied things at 1-1 with 5:39 to go in the half, a score that would hold into the break.

Early into the second period, NEC nearly went back in front when a shot from the top of the box was deflected by Mascari back to a New England player; the rebound found a Pilgrim in front of the net once again, but she was deemed by the assistant referee to have been in the offsides position at the time of the initial shot for the goal to be negated.  

SVC held off the Pilgrim offense through the opening 30 minutes of the second period, only to then see NEC start to get thinks clicking. Senior captain Caroline Mols (Verona, N.J.) played a pass from the midfield over the top of the Mountaineer defense, a ball that allowed Hatch to run on to it and take a few touches at net. Her shot sailed perfectly under the crossbar, putting the Pilgrims up 2-1 with 14:47 to play. NEC added to its lead just 35 seconds later as freshman Michaela Pomeroy (Thetford, Vt.) cleaned up a loose ball in the box for her second career goal.

The Pilgrims added a final piece of insurance with 10:11 to play when Thomas took a short pass on a right-side corner kick and played it into the box. NEC freshman Tara Bainbridge (South Hadley, Mass.) was on the back post where she was able to jump up and get her head on the ball, redirecting it into the back of the net for her second collegiate tally and the eventual 4-1 final score.

New England junior keeper Mackenzie Meegan (Phoenix, Ariz.) turned away two Mountaineer shots in the win (4-5-1) while Mascari finished with a season-high 15 saves on the day (3-4).