Fitchburg State Outlasts Eastern Nazarene, 2-1

Belanger and Wundt connect in Falcons second victory of the season

FITCHBURG, Mass. (September 10, 2009) - The Fitchburg State women's soccer team used a balanced offensive attack, registering one goal in each half to post a 2-1 victory over non-conference foe, Eastern Nazarene this evening. 

Seniors Meagan Belanger (Belchertown, Mass./Belchertown) and Lauren Wundt (Southwick, Mass./Southwick-Tolland) led the Fitchburg State attack with one score apiece, while classmate Jen Tabor (Webster, Mass./Bartlett) added an assist. Senior Brenna Mereness (Castleton, N.Y./Hudson Valley CC) tallied the lone goal for the Lions.

In a Fitchburg State dominated first half, the Falcons controlled the tempo, out-shooting Eastern Nazarene, 6-0 in the frame. Belanger put the Falcons on the board in the 36th minute of the match as she connected on an unassisted free kick from 18 yards out. Belanger gave the Falcons an early 1-0 edge as the senior back showed precision kicking, taking the ball from the left corner of the box and bending just inside the upright of the net.

Fitchburg State continued its aggressive play throughout the second halff, taking a 2-0 lead in the 57th minute on a Wundt tally. Wundt, the program's all-time leading scorer, showed her sure-footed abilities, taking a Tabor cross pass and slipping it past Lion keeper, Britney Hislop (Burley, Wash./North Mason) for her second score of the season.

Eastern Nazarene fired back later in the half as Mereness converted a Lion penalty kick in the 67th minute, but Fitchburg State held off an Eastern Nazarene comeback as the Falcons offense controlled the ball for the final 15 minutes of play.

Senior goalkeeper Kyla Batchelder (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) earned her first victory of the season, totaling 23 minutes of unscathed action, while all four Falcon keepers logged minutes in the contest. Hislop suffered the loss for the Lions, totaling six saves in her complete game effort.         

Fitchburg State (2-1, 0-0 MASCAC) will be back in action on Saturday as it travels to WPI at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Nazarene (1-4, 0-0 TCCC) will travel to the University of New England on Saturday for a match starting at 12 p.m.

CLICK HERE FOR BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

 Fitchburg State 2, Eastern Nazarene 1

Scoring:
First Half: FIT: Meagan Belanger, 35:19
Second Half: FIT: Lauren Wundt (Jen Tabor), 56:13; ENC: Brenna Mereness, 66:19;
Goaltending: FIT: Melanie Berent (22:38), zero saves; Kyla Batchelder (22:22), zero saves; Emily Swan (37:21), two saves; Katelyn Christiansen (7:39), zero saves; ENC: Britney Hislop (90:00), six saves
Shots: FIT: 13; ENC: 4