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ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Fourth-ranked William Smith netted the game's only goal in the 65th minute Tuesday as the Herons defeated host Nazareth in a women's college soccer match, 1-0, at Golden Flyer Stadium. The game was the season opener for both teams.
The Herons, an NCAA Final Four participant in 2008, controlled most of the play with a 19-10 edge in shots and a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks. Junior BreLynn Nasypany (Herkimer, NY) broke free for the game's only goal in the 65th minute after settling a lead pass up the center of the field from first-year Whitney Frary. Nasypany led the Herons with 15 goals in 2008.
"That's a tough opponent to start out with, but I thought we held up well overall," said Nazareth Coach Gail Mann. "They had a few more chances than we did, but I thought our defense was solid."
Nazareth managed six of its 10 shots in the second half, including two each by freshman
Chelsea Kuss and junior
Meagan Rivera, but Herons' goalie Amanda Davis made six saves to earn the shutout. Kuss tested Davis twice in the second half, including a shot from just inside the midfield line that nearly caught the Herons' keeper out of position in the 51st minute. About three minutes later, Frary had a shot for William Smith that eluded Nazareth goalie
Hillary Simon before deflecting off the crossbar.
After William Smith scored, Nazareth had chances in the 79th minute (on a header by
Erica Conte that sailed wide) and in the 89th minute (on a shot by Rivera that was saved by Davis).
Simon played all 90 minutes for Nazareth and made eight saves.
Nazareth returns to action this weekend for a pair of non-conference games in the Boston area. Nazareth plays MIT Saturday and Brandeis Sunday. Both games are 1 p.m. start times.