Lauren Luo
Lauren Luo

Blue Soccer Falls to MIT in NEWMAC Quarterfinals

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Second-seeded MIT defeated seventh-seeded Wellesley College soccer, 1-0, on Tuesday evening at Steinbrenner Stadium in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament Quarterfinals.

MIT improves to 16-4-1 on the year and advances to the conference semifinals to face sixth-seeded Wheaton College at WPI at 3:00 PM on Saturday, November 5. Wellesley, making their first NEWMAC postseason appearance since 2013, ends the 2016 season with a 7-10-1 overall record.

MIT first year Allie Werner (Tyler, Texas) scored the game's only goal at 35:32 of the first half, making her way through the Wellesley defense before slotting the ball home, after a shot fake, to the left side of Wellesley goalkeeper Olivia Reckley (Grosse Ile, Mich.)

The Blue had their chances in the match, including a two-on-one chance off the foot of junior Melise Knowles (Diablo, Calif.) 24 minutes into the first, but MIT ended the game with the bulk of the opportunities. The Engineers had a 21-5 edge in sots on goal and a 6-2 advantage in corner kick chances. 

Reckley made three saves in the Blue goal, while MIT senior goalkeeper Lauren Ullmann (Princeton, N.J.) was forced into action to make a pair of saves. Ullmann recorded the shutout, her 10th of the year, to earn the win. 

MIT will match-up with Wheaton for the sixth time in conference tournament history on Saturday. The Engineers defeated the Lyons, 1-0, in the only contest between the two squads during the 2016 season.