Aug. 19, 2012

Box Score

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Laura DiClemente scored a pair of goals following a game-high six shots, four on goal, as Providence College defeated Army, 3-1, in its women's soccer home opener Sunday afternoon at Glay Field.

DiClemente staked the Friars (1-1) to a 3-0 first-half lead after netting the first two goals of the game. She opened the scoring with a 17-yard shot off an assist from Amanda Webster that went over the Army keeper's head at the 17:16 mark. The red shirted senior forward scored her second goal on an eight yard shot into the far post off a cross from Kerry Ann O'Connor in the 35th minute for a 2-0 advantage. Five minutes later Laura Elia tallied as Providence took a 3-0 lead into halftime.

Army (1-1), outshot 16-8, earned a goal back early in the second half when junior midfielder Joey Molacek scored in the 58th minute following a scramble on a ball sent into the box by defender Molly McGuigan. The goal was Molacek's first of the season and eighth career tally with McGuigan picking up her second career assist as Army drew to 3-1.

That would be as close as the Black Knights would come as the Friars held them to one shot over the time remaining while outshooting Army 9-4 in the second half. Freshman goalkeeper Jessica McAllister, earning her first collegiate start, rejected all seven shots on goal over the final 45 minutes in finishing with eight saves overall. She made four saves over an eight-minute span (including one by DiClemente) at the midway point and pulled up with a pair of late stops in the 87th and 89th minutes.

Army had 13 underclassmen among 19 players seeing action with junior forward Kim An leading the attack with three shots.

"We need to get more consistent as our performance today was not quite at the level I expect," said interim head coach Fred Thompson. "This is just our first weekend and we are still trying to progress and get better with every game. We will regroup during the week and I look for us to be a little bit better and longer in each game.

"Our goalkeeper (Jessica McAllister) played very well today and made several good saves in a solid performance."

Posting four goals in a 1-1 showing over the weekend, Army continues its four-game road slate when it heads to Texas for first-time meetings with Texas State and Texas at El Paso next weekend.

"The turf we played on Friday (in 3-1 win vs. Vermont) was relatively fast and was good for us," added Thompson. "The field today was very slow with thick grass, and we did not adjust to that at all. Next weekend we will have a totally different surface when we head to Texas where the grass will be short and very fast again."