BOSTON, Mass. -- Simmons senior Justine Beauchamp (Exeter, N.H.) put the Sharks on the board in the 62nd minute off a long free kick for the game winner, as the team picked up their first win of the 2012 season defeating the Western New England Golden Bears, 2-0. Freshman goalkeeper Briana Hayes (Manorville, N.Y.) earned her first collegiate shutout with 15 saves if the effort.
In the first half, the Sharks had their best chance with four minutes remaining off a free kick from Kristyn Heuslein (Manchester, N.H.). WNE goalkeeper Briana Kubic timed her jump perfectly and just got a hand on the ball to tip it high and out. The Golden Bears held a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks in the first half but strong defense by the Sharks kept the game scoreless going into halftime.
In the 49th minute, Golden Bear sophomore Tayler Mazurski went up for a header in the box but Hayes was poised and made the point-blank save to protect the lead. The Sharks doubled the score at 75:36 when junior Ally Ayotte (Litchfield, N.H.) dribbled the ball down the right side and sent a cross into the box and found Keri Acheson (Peabody, Mass.), who headed the ball past Kubic. Sharks freshman Greer Gilbert (Falmouth, Mass.) and Beauchamp each added seven shots to lead the Simmons offense.
The Golden Bears were relentless, and saw opportunities from Alexis Bshara and Mazurski with under a minute to play as Hayes made a diving save as the Sharks went on to win 2-0.
Hayes picked up 15 saves in the Sharks win, while Kubic recorded 13 in the loss. Simmons returns to the field on Wednesday, September 12th when they open Great Northeast Athletic Conference play against Lasell College at 7:00 p.m. at home.
