DANBURY, Conn. – Junior Ali Leach's (Stowe, Vt.) goal in the 60th minute held up as the game winner as the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's soccer team rallied from a goal down to defeat Western Connecticut State, 2-1, in non-conference action at the Westside Athletic Complex. The win was the first-ever for the Leopards on the Colonials' home pitch, having entered the game with an 0-6 record.
Wentworth improves to 6-2-2 on the season while Western Connecticut falls to 5-4-1 through its first 10 games.
Leach nearly gave the visitors a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute of the game when she blasted a shot from the left wing that just missed the top right corner. The game would remain scoreless until the Colonials scored at the 12:15 mark. Junior Autumn Sorice (Bethel, Conn.) broke in alone and fired a shot past Leopard sophomore Christie Fleming (Braintree, Mass.).
Western Connecticut had several chances to add to its lead, however were unable to get a shot past Fleming. Late in the first half Wentworth got the equalizer on a goal from freshman Julie McKenna (West Hartford, Conn.). Senior Mary Annon (Concord, N.H.) played a corner kick towards the box where classmate Morgan Miller (Schenectady, N.Y.) put a shot on net. The shot was saved by junior Jillian Fernandez (Columbia, Conn.), however the rebound came out to McKenna who put the second chance home.
Both teams came out of the break with chances and Leach gave the Leopards a 2-1 lead when she put home a left-footed blast at 59:41. In the 72nd minute the Colonials appeared to have tied the contest however the game-tying goal was waved off due to an offsides call. In the 87th minute the hosts had a corner kick but were unable to generate a scoring chance.
Fleming made eight saves to pick up her first win of the season while Fernandez made a pair of stops in the loss.
Wentworth hosts Western New England on Saturday.