WOMEN'S SOCCER DROPS 2-1 DECISION TO SAINT MICHAEL'S

Box Score vs. Saint Michael's - September 4, 2011

BROOKHAVEN, N.Y. (Sept. 4, 2011) - Sophomore back/midfielder Sami Saad (Valley Stream, N.Y.) accounted for the lone Molloy goal and first tally of the game in the 23rd-minute on Sunday. However, the Lions' women's soccer team surrendered a pair of first-half markers to Saint Michael's College, and was not able to rally in a 2-1 loss to the Purple Knights at the Dowling College Tournament, held at Golden Lions Field in Brookhaven, N.Y. Freshman forward Casey Filippone (North Babylon, N.Y.) earned the assist on the goal, giving her three points in her first two collegiate games.

Saad's tally, which gave Molloy (0-2) an early 1-0 advantage, came with 22:22 elapsed in the opening stanza. Filippone sent a pass from the left flank to Saad, who fired a shot from 15 yards out into the upper left corner of the net. Just over two minutes later, Filippone looked to double the Lions' lead, but senior keeper Ashleigh Adams (Milton, Vt.) turned the shot away. Soon after, in the 34th-minute, junior forward/midfielder Janet Bazzell (Haverhill, N.H.) punched in a nine-yarder past freshman goalie Nicole DellaPorta (West Babylon, N.Y.), who stopped Bazzell's first attempt just five minutes earlier.

Saint Michael's (1-1) wasn't done yet in the opening half. With 3:13 to go before the half, freshman forward/midfielder Olivia Biron (Saint Albans, Vt.) put a shot off the hands of DellaPorta. Seconds later, junior midfielder Ali Lajoie (Litchfield, N.H.) settled the rebound, and kicked it into the mesh from five yards out. That proved to be all the Purple Knights needed.

During the second stanza, Filippone and junior forward Nicole Valentine (Massapequa, N.Y.) combined for three shots on goal. No shot proved to be as the equalizer as second-half senior starting keeper Brittany Cocozza (East Greenwich, R.I.) made saves on each of the attempts for Saint Michael's, which sported a 25-9 advantage in shots.

Between the pipes, DellaPorta stopped a game-high eight shots. Adams and Cocozza combined for four saves. Both squads had six corner kicks apiece. Senior forward Kristin Hagenbarth (Killington, Vt.) led all Purple Knights in shots with five, while Filippone headed up the Lions with four - three of which were on net.

Head Coach Danny Longo and his team are back in action on Friday (Sept. 9) when Molloy takes on University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown in its home opener at the Dean G. Skelos Sports Complex in Rockville Centre, N.Y. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.