WORCESTER, Mass. – The Clark University women's soccer offense tallied three times in the first half and never looked back, racing to a 4-1 win over visiting Wentworth Institute of Technology in the season opener for both teams on Friday afternoon.
Charlotte Mays (Melrose, Mass.) recorded the first multi-goal game of her career with two markers while the Cougars got goals from both Emily Braun (Irvington, N.Y.) and Janelle Pasternack (North Brookfield, Mass.) in winning their season-opening game for the fourth time in the last six seasons.
Clark wasted little time getting on the board when Jenn O'Rourke (Somerset, Mass.) sent a hard shot that was turned back by Leopard netminder Miranda Stuckey (Lafayette, Ind.), but the rebound came right to Braun, who sent a blast past Stuckey at 4:37.
Less than five minutes later, Lucia Pantuosco (Somers, Conn.) sent a pass through traffic that found Mays who notched her first of the season for a 2-0 Clark advantage.
Wentworth answered back almost immediately when Mary Annon (Concord, N.H.) sent a high ball into the box where Tori Armishaw (Scarborough, Maine) capitalized, tapping home the ball for the Leopards' lone score at 10:48.
Nearly 20 minutes went by without a score until Pasternack scored at 28:32 to make it a 3-1 game.
The only goal in the second half came when Liz Cumberbatch (Austin, Texas) forced a turnover down in the right corner and broke free from her defender creating a 2-on-1 advantage for Clark. She slipped a pass to Mays who blistered a shot into the lower left corner for the fourth and final Cougar goal at 53:25.
Clark held a 20-13 edge in overall shots and a sizable advantage in corner kicks as well (9-1).
Stuckey made eight saves for Wentworth in the loss, while Gabby Paolini (North Potomac, Md.) picked right up where she left off in 2012, turning back eight shots of her own to collect her tenth career victory.
The Leopards will return to action on Tuesday when they host Emerson College, while the Cougars travel to face Brandeis University on Sunday.
(Portions of this recap courtesy of Clark Sports Information)
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
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Wentworth........... 1 0 - 1
Clark............... 3 1 - 4
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 4:37 CLK Emily Braun (1) (unassisted)
2. 9:00 CLK Charlotte Mays (1) (Lucia Pantuosco)
3. 10:48 WIT Tori Armishaw (1) (Mary Annon)
4. 28:32 CLK Janelle Pasternack (1) (unassisted)
5. 53:25 CLK Charlotte Mays (2) (Liz Cumberbatch)
Shots: Wentworth 13, Clark 20
Saves: Wentworth 8 (Miranda Stuckey 8), Clark 8 (Gabby Paolini 8)
