BOSTON, Mass. – The Johnson & Wales University women's soccer team netted a pair of goals within the first 16 minutes of play to stand up as the winning margin in a 2-0 victory over host Simmons University this evening in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference match at Daly Field in Brighton, Mass. The Sharks fall to 8-6-1 overall, including 6-4-1 in league play, while the Wildcats are unbeaten in 10 of their last 11 games and improve to 12-6-1 and 9-2-0.
Johnson & Wales dominated possession, owning a 23-6 shot advantage, including 14-3 in the opening half of play. The Wildcats also held a commanding 15-1 count on corner kicks.
Johnson & Wales wasted no time in getting on the board, scoring in the game's second minute off of a corner kick. Senior forward Deja Hursey (Columbia, Md.) assisted on both goals for the night and notched her first helper when she sent a cross from the right side of the box to first year Jordan Restivo (Utica, N.Y.), who tipped a shot past the Simmons keeper for her ninth goal of the season just 91 seconds into the match.
Hursey set up the Wildcats second goal of the match with another cross from the right side of the box to feed sophomore midfielder Olivia Cairrao (Bristol, R.I.) for her team-leading 11th marker of the season at 15:38 of the first half.
The Sharks defense held Johnson & Wales scoreless for the remaining 74-plus minutes, but the offense was only able to muster three shots on goal. Senior midfielder Cíara Forde (Quincy, Mass.) looked to put Simmons on the board with just 59 ticks left in the match, but her strike hit the post to keep the home team scoreless.
Forde and senior forward Mikayla Elliott (Lowell, Mass.) paced the Sharks offense with two shots apiece.
Junior goalie Colleen Lynch (New Milford, Conn.) recorded her 23rd career shutout with three saves for the Wildcats, while senior keeper Lauren Williams (Bowdoinham, Maine) stopped 11 shots for Simmons.
The Sharks return to action on Saturday, October 20 when they cross the street to take on GNAC rival Emmanuel College (Mass.) at Roberto Clemente Field for an 11:00 a.m. start, while Johnson & Wales closes out the regular season in Nashua, N.H. with a conference tilt against Rivier University at 3:30 p.m.