SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. -- Senior forward Cíara Forde (Quincy, Mass.) netted her first goal of the season for the Simmons University women's soccer team, but a penalty kick late in the second half gave host Mount Holyoke College a 2-1 victory this afternoon at MHC Soccer Field in South Hadley, Mass. The Sharks fall to 0-2-0 on the season, while the Lyons improve to 1-0-0 in their season opener.

Simmons controlled the offensive opportunities, outshooting Mount Holyoke, 22-11, including 11-3 in a scoreless opening half. 

Senior back Avia Jacobs (Calabasas, Calif.) gave the Lyons the deciding score when she converted on a penalty kick with 5:38 remaining in the match.

Mount Holyoke finally broke into the scoring column, following just over 60 minutes of scoreless action when senior midfielder Dale Leonheart (Petaluma, Calif.) netted an unassisted goal at the 62:06 mark of the second stanza. 

The Sharks knotted the contest at 1-1 when senior back Erin Fleming (West Boylston, Mass.) connected with Forde, who found the back of the net for her first tally of the season coming at 78:19 of the second half.

Senior keeper Amanda Manaster (Beverly Hills, Calif.) stopped nine shots to earn the win for the Lyons, while senior goalie Lauren Williams (Bowdoinham, Maine) recorded four saves for Simmons.

The Sharks return to play on Saturday, September 8 when they head to New London, N.H. to take on Colby-Sawyer College at 1:00 p.m. for the Chargers first soccer match as a member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Mount Holyoke travels to Amherst, Mass. on September 6 to play Amherst College at 5:00 p.m.