Box Score

Dudley, Mass.-  The UMass-Dartmouth Cosairs scored three goals in the first half to capture a 3-1 victory over the Nichols women's soccer team on Saturday in both team's season-opener. The Bison got a goal from freshman Kensey Marsland (Ware, Mass.) to answer an early score by the Cosairs but were unable to find the back of the net again as UMD went on to tally two more goals by the end of the half.

The Cosairs got on the board nine minutes into the match when junior Sarah Killenbeck (Norton, Mass.), the team's returning leading scorer, beat her defender one on one. Marsland responded to the goal with her first career tally two minutes later. Marsland booted a high shot from the left corner of the box that UMD's goalie, freshman Tanya Braga (Hudson, Mass.) could not reach. Junior Chelsea Blair (Blanford, Mass.) was credited with the assist.

UMass-Dartmouth took a 2-1 lead at the 26:44 mark when freshman Crystal Peixoto (Dartmouth, Mass.) took advantage of a break in Nichols defense and drilled one past Bison keeper, junior Sarah Levesque (Ludlow, Mass.). The Cosairs struck again seven minutes later to go into the half with a comfortable 3-1 lead. Sophomore Allison Carver (Andover, Mass.) scored off a pass from freshman Krystal Monteiro (Hudson, Mass.).

The Bison defense limited the Cosairs opportunities in the second half but failed to generate the offense it needed to get back in the game. Freshman Nicole Johnson (Westhampton, Mass.) played in net the entire second half, stopping all eight of the shots she faced.

Nichols will be back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 5 when it plays at Elms. UMass-Dartmouth will host Emerson on Tuesday, Sept. 4.