Simmons Soccer ended their four-game unbeaten streak as they fell to the Plymouth State Panthers on Wednesday evening, 3-1. Seniors Stacy DiSabato and Gianna Minervini combined on a pair of second-half goals to lead the Panthers to a 3-1 non-conference victory over Simmons College, now 3-1-1 overall (1-0-1 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference).

It took nearly 40 minutes for either team to get on the scoreboard. Simmons senior goalkeeper Rachel Elliott (Amherst N.H.) was able to keep a long range shot out of the goal with a diving save, but Plymouth junior Rebecca Wilson put the Panthers on the board with just over six minutes on the first-half clock as she fired the rebound past Elliott. Junior Brooke MacKenzie (Mansfield, Mass.) answered for the Sharks with two minutes to play as she converted on a free kick from 40 yards away.

DiSabato scored in the first minute of the second half off an assist from Minervini to put Plymouth State ahead for good, and Minervini added an insurance goal in the 63rd minute from DiSabato. The Sharks had several near misses as a MacKenzie shot bounced off the far post and an Anna Stella (Sharon, Mass.) shot chipped over the keeper but rang off the crossbar. Freshman Justine Beauchamp (Exeter, N.H.) was able to break through the Panther defense, but the shot couldn't escape the Plymouth State keeper's hands. Simmons out-shot the Panthers 25-16; 11-8 in the first half and 14-8 after the break.

"Despite the loss, our team fought hard and created multiple opportunities to equalize the score," said Mastrogiacomo. "These close calls show great possibility, but we know we have work to do if we want to compete for a conference title."

The Sharks will compete in the Wellesley College Tournament on Saturday, September 12 and Sunday the 13th. Saturday's contest will begin at noon.