WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Hartford women's soccer team (4-2-3 overall) collected its fifth victory and fourth shutout of the season 2-0 over the visiting Iona Gaels on Thursday night in West Hartford. Junior Natasha Douglas scored the game winner in the 18th minute, her first goal as a Hartford Hawk.
Douglas broke through with the initial goal when she was able to beat the defense to a ball the Gaels attempted to play back. Senior Jessica Murphy began the play with a long pass from deep inside the defensive end. Douglas was able to out run a pair of defenders and easily beat the keeper whose attempt at falling on the ball was off the mark. Her shot, from eight yards out crossed right to left into the opposite corner.
Senior Amelia Pereira netted her team-leading sixth goal of the season in the 36th minute when she accepted a hard blast from classmate Caroline Dixon straight away at the top of the box. After turning and beating one defender, Pereira sent a shot from right to left beating Gaels keeper Trista Rivera.
A little less than three minutes later, sophomore Chanel Johnson had an open look at the net off a corner kick from rookie Sidney Spremullo. Johnson's shot was tipped away from the goal by Rivera for her first save of the contest. Just under two minutes later, the Hawks had another opportunity as Spremullo worked around a defender and sailed her first shot of the game just over the cross bar.
Hartford finished the first half with six total shots, while the visitors were unable to put a shot up. The Hawks forced Rivera into a pair of save. For the contest, Rivera finished with five total saves, while Hartford keeper Erin Quinlan was forced into action on three occasions.
The best opportunity for either team in the second half came with just under 18 minutes remaining when Dixon had a free kick opportunity from about 35 yards out that looked to be heading over the net but curled down requiring Rivera to punch it over the crossbar.
Quinlan wasn't put to the test until the 77th minute when Amanda Cantos fired the Gaels second shot of the game from the left side of the six yard box right into the hand of the waiting keeper.
The next two saves for Quinlan came off the boot of Laura Jackson. Her first shot came from more than 40 yards out, which Quinlan needed to leap and collect with no traffic around. Jackson's second shot came from the corner of the 18-yard box with Quinlan easily collecting her third save.
The Hawks return to Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium for their second of three-straight home games on Sunday afternoon, welcoming the Binghamton Bearcats to West Hartford for the 2012 conference opener. The opening kick is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
