Blue Soccer Cruises to 2-0 Win Over Simmons

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Junior Paige Sangston (Greenwich, Conn.) and sophomore Marleigh Ausbrooks (Washington, D.C.) each scored as Wellesley College soccer opened the 2022 campaign with a 2-0 non-conference victory over Simmons University on Thursday afternoon at the Wellesley Fields Complex.

The Blue (1-0-0), who tallied the first Wellesley victory for new Head Coach Caitlin Pickul, are undefeated in their last eight match-ups (8-0-0) against Simmons dating back to the 2014 season. Simmons junior Marita Nothacker (Philadelphia, Pa.) made 14 saves in the setback for the visitors, as Simmons opened their season with a loss (0-0-1).

Wellesley controlled possession for the majority of the contest, outshooting the visitors by a 25-2 margin. The Blue took a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute of the contest when Sangston scored from outside the penalty area over the outstretched hand of Nothacker. The effort was Sangston's first collegiate goal. Wellesley might have taken a larger lead into the half had it not been for Nothacker's eight saves in the opening 45 minutes.

Wellesley doubled its advantage at 49:06 of the second half, when first year Elina Saab-Sundén (Palo Alto, Calif.) sliced a pass through the Simmons backline to set-up Ausbrooks for her first goal of the season. The helper was the first collegiate point for Saab-Sundén. In the Wellesley net, senior Kendall Lincoln (San Diego, Calif.) started the contest and first year Sascha Fleesler (New York, N.Y.) made one save in the second half to combine for the shutout.

Wellesley returns to action next Wednesday, September 7 with a 7:00 PM match-up at Endicott. Simmons will host Me.-Presque Isle this Saturday at 1:00 PM.