GAME OVERVIEW:

Bennington,VT.—The Lesley Women's Soccer team opened up its 2018 NECC Conference slate with a 3-0 win over Southern Vermont.  With the win, the Lynx are an even 3-3 on the season while the Mountaineers drop to 0-4-1. 

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE:

• The Lynx were able to find the back of the net with 50 seconds left to go in the opening half, and they got an insurance tally just 1:58 into the second stanza. Lesley capped the day's scoring with the last goal being put home in the final minute of play.
• The opening 20 minutes of action were mostly contained within the middle third of the pitch as neither side had any chances of significant quality. LU started to maintain possession and keep the ball in Southern Vermont's half of the field, however, and the Lynx finally got one to go with halftime looming.
• Natsuki Futakuci hit a corner kick from the right side, and the ball found its way to the middle of the box where freshman Sophie Smurthwaite fired her first collegiate goal into the lower-left corner of the frame.
• Lesley didn't waste much time in padding its cushion after the break as the Lynx got their second goal in the 47th minute.  Jordan Mitchell received a pass from Samantha Bessey just five yards away from the goal, where Mitchell was able to flick it into the back of the net.
• SVC pushed to get on the scoreboard with time waning, and the Mountaineers came inches from cutting the deficit to one with just under six minutes to go when a penalty kick rang off the right post.
• The Lynx were able to extend the advantage with a final tally when Rachel Buckley sent a long pass to Bessey that she chipped over the Mountaineer Keeper to make it 3-0 with 58 ticks on the clock. 
• Lesley outshot SVC 25-3, and in corner kicks 12-1 in the match.

INSIDE SCOOP:

"It was great to get a win in conference and shut out at that," said head coach Paul Vasconcelos.  "We've been on the bad end of some scorelines, most of which we haven't deserved, but I'm very happy with the teams performance, and we still have lots to work on."

UP NEXT:

Lesley is off until next Saturday, September 22 as the Lynx visit Elms College for a 1:30 p.m. rematch of the 2017 NECC championship game.