ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Visiting Misericordia scored the first goal less than two minutes into the game Wednesday and the Cougars went on to take a 3-0 women's soccer victory over Nazareth at Golden Flyer Stadium.

The Golden Flyers dropped to 1-4-2 overall with the non-conference defeat. Misericordia, of Dallas, Pa., improved to 7-0 overall. The Cougars are ranked 12th nationally in the most recent Division III poll that was released by the United Soccer Coaches. Wednesday's game was the first-ever meeting between the two teams in women's soccer.

Misericordia scored at the 1:24 mark of the first half after Nazareth keeper Annika Monfort made a diving save on a shot by Kate Field. The rebound came loose and Maegan Allspach was in front of the goal for the Cougars to tap it in.

The score went unchanged until the second half when Misericordia's Kaylee Sturans scored her team-leading seventh and eighth goals of the season. The first was a well-placed shot in the 54th minute into the upper left corner after she received a cross from Emma Sweitzer. The second goal came in the 78th minute following a corner kick by Field. The ball deflected off the head of Julia Beck and onto the foot of Sturans, who one-touched it past Monfort.

Nazareth's best scoring chance came in the 61st minute when sophomore Alexandra Skoda broke past the Cougars' defense, but her contested shot caromed off the right goal post before keeper Alexis Benedetto could smother it.

Misericordia had advantages in shots (24-6) and corner kicks (8-0). Monfort was credited with eight saves for Nazareth. Benedetto had one in recording her sixth shutout.

Nazareth returns to action Saturday for a home game against Keuka at 1 p.m. in the Empire 8 Conference opener for both teams.