Knowles Saves the Day at ACPHS

Albany, NY – Goalkeeper Emma Knowles made a season-high 13 saves, and Alaynah Leblond and Destiny Mooers each scored in the second half as the CMCC women's soccer team took a 2-1 win on the road against Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

It was a shorthanded CMCC team that made the trip to New York for two games over the weekend. Head coach Rob Rodriguez was missing five usual members of the squad to start the match and the Mustangs struggled out of the gate, being outshot 13-3 in the first half.

Knowles finished with nine saves through the first 45 minutes. The junior All-American's best work came in the 20^th minute when she denied Julia Roemer on a breakaway, turning away a shot from the six-yard box.

Central Maine gradually gained a foothold in the second half with the addition of captain Audrey Dillman to the back line. The visitors put four shots on target in the first eight minutes, testing goalkeeper Mykala Brodzinski.

Leblond found the breakthrough in the 57^th minute to put CMCC up 1-0. A cross into the box was only half cleared by the defense. The first-year from Old Orchard Beach raced onto the loose ball near the top of the penalty area and rifled home a low, left-footed shot just inside the near post. It was Leblond's second goal in three matches since making her return from injury at the beginning of October.

Mooers doubled the lead in the 68^th minute. Milena Strickland made a tackle in the middle of the pitch, and after pulling a defender towards her, fed a pass into the box for Mooers. The Hampden Academy product held her nerve and aimed a shot around Brodzinski who had come out to cut down the angle. It was Mooers ninth goal of her freshman campaign.

The Panthers did pull one back just minutes later. Mya Wright floated a long ball floated towards the top of the box which caused problems for the CMCC center backs. Roemer cut between the two of them before volleying into the bottom corner to make it 2-1.

Both teams tired over the final 15 minutes making plenty of substitutions. Katie Blouin had one last shot on target in the 81^st minute, but neither goalkeeper was tested the rest of the way and the Mustangs saw out the victory.

The win sees CMCC remain perfect in YSCC play and move to within a point of NHTI at the top of the conference standings with a game in hand on the Lynx. Those two squads are set to battle it out in the final match of the regular season on Monday, October 21^st.