Blue Soccer Tops Coast Guard to Open NEWMAC Play

NEW LONDON, Conn. -- The Wellesley College soccer team opened the 2012 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) schedule with a 2-1 victory over Coast Guard on the road on Saturday. The win lifts the Blue to 3-2-1 (1-0 NEWMAC) while the Bears fall to 1-4 (0-1 NEWMAC). 

Wellesley out-shot Coast Guard 9-6 overall, using two early scores to earn the victory.

The Blue got the scoring going when senior co-captain, Gayron Berman lofted a shot into the upper right corner to give Wellesley a 1-0 lead in the tenth minute. Just four minutes later it was the other co-captain, senior Kara Lungmus, who received a pass from Berman as she entered the left side of the box and chipped a shot over Coast Guard goalie, Devin Fellman.

Coast Guard cut the score in half in the 71st minute when first-year Madison Ahlers took a pass from junior Jill Kelly and slipped a shot by Wellesley keeper, Claire Cerda. The goal was Ahlers first goal of her career.

Coast Guard had a chance to tie it up in the 86th minute when Kelly drilled a shot from a free kick, only to meet a diving Cerda to seal the victory for Wellesley.

Cerda made four stops in net for the Blue, earning the victory. Coast Guard's Fellman stopped four shots in the loss.

Aside from Berman and Lungmus, who each score their first of the season, Wellesley's offense was also aided by two shots on goal from the Chelsea-Ann Patry. Coast Guard's offense was based around Kelly, who also recorded two shots on goal for the Bears. 

Wellesley returns to action on Wednesday at 4:30pm, hosting the University of New England in a non-conference match-up. Coast Guard next plays on Tuesday, traveling to Mass-Maritime for a 7:00pm non-conference battle.