NEWTON, Mass. -- After a hard fought, tough, and physical battle with the Lasers of Lasell College, Mount Ida droped a 2-0 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) fixture on the confines of Alumni Field.
Both teams played scoreless soccer for the first forty minutes of the opening half in which Lasell were able to muster several scoring opportunities but it was the goal keeping of Mustang netminder Kelsey Parkin (Standish, Me.) that kept Mount Ida and Lasell tied through most of the half.
In the 41st minute, the Lasers broke though when Sabrina Morais (Arlington, Mass.) headed home her 3rd goal of the season after a shot came from about 30 yards out that hit the crossbar and bounced over Parkin's head to the head of Morais. Parkin was able to get a hand on the ball off the bar but it landed with Morais as she was able to knock the ball past Parkin for the 1-0 Laser lead.
The waning minutes of the first half led to a couple more opportunities for the visitors but it was Parkin and the Mustang back four of Lacey Perry (Westport, Mass.), Tayler White (W.Chesterfield, N.H.), Rachel Lambert (Lebanon, Conn.) and Heather Pollock (Middleton, Mass.) who turned away the Lasell attack.
Lasell's steady attack continued early in the second half but once again the Mustang defense and Parkin held the Lasers at bay.
Mount Ida had a few opportunities moving their own attack forward off a couple shots from the top of the 18-yard box from the foot of senior Izzy Moody (Naugatuck, Conn.).
The visitors broke through again in the 63rd minute when Devon Day (Hartland, Vt.) threaded a ball from just outside the box to a back post running Bridget Munnelly (Bellingham, Mass.) who finished a one timer past the outstretched Parkin for the 2-0 cushion.
Both teams played the remaining twenty-six minutes scoreless as Lasell came away with the conference victory.
Laser keeper Sarah LeClair (Belcthertown, Mass) held Mount Ida at bay while improving to 9-4-1 on the season while Parkin dropped to 1-9-3.
Both teams will be back in GNAC action on Saturday afternoon when Mount Ida hosts Suffolk with a Senior Day ceremony set be held before kickoff at 12:00. Lasell will travel to Rivier with that game set to take place at 6:00 PM.