Women's Soccer Edges Past Raiders In 2023 Opener

Dawkins stops ten shots for Green and Gold to earn her first collegiate victory

Fitchburg, Mass. – The Fitchburg State women's soccer team opened their 2023 campaign this afternoon, defeating the Raiders of Rivier University, 2-1 in non-conference action from Elliot Field.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 2, Rivier 1

Records: Fitchburg State (1-0-0, 0-0-0 MASCAC) | Rivier (0-1-0, 0-0-0 GNAC)

How It Happened

Rivier threatened early in the opening stanza as junior Kaylee Magoon (Loudon, NH) fired back-to-back shots on frame, but Falcons keeper freshman Madison Dawkins (Haverhill, MA) turned aside both scoring chances to preserve the 0-0 deadlock.

 Fitchburg State broke the scoreless draw with just over nine minutes remaining in the first half when junior Kendra Peretzman (Randolph, MA) threaded a pass to sophomore Adrianna Westcott (Sayreville, N.J.), who laced a shot pass the outstretched arms of Rivier netminder Bri Nugent (Killingworth, CT) for her first marker on the 2023 campaign for the 1-0 margin going into the break. 

Following the intermission, the Falcons doubled the lead in the 47^th minute of action as freshman Noelle Kennedy (Walpole, MA) collected a corner kick off the foot of sophomore Charlotte Meixsell (Boxford, MA) and headed a shot into the upper third of net for her first collegiate goal to make the score 2-0.

Rivier dented the scoreboard in the 69^th minute of action with freshman Cadance Ryan (Worcester, MA) lofting a shot into the upper left corner for her first collegiate marker as graduate student Jordan Butters (Beverly, MA) assisted on the play, resulting in the 2-1 final.

Inside the Numbers

• This afternoon's contest marked the tenth between the two teams on the pitch with the Falcons 6-4-0 all-time when taking on the Raiders
• Rivier held a 19-14 advantage in shots, while each team finished with two corner kicks
• Freshman Madison Dawkins (Haverhill, MA) earned her first collegiate victory in net for the Falcons
• Freshman Noelle Kennedy (Walpole, MA) netted her first collegiate goal for the Green and Gold
• Dawkins made ten saves for the Falcons, en-route to the victory
• Nugent stopped six shots for the Raiders

Up Next

Fitchburg State returns to action on Sunday as they travel to Brandeis to take on the Judges in non-conference action, starting at 1:00 PM.

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