Box Score St. Mary's City, Md. – Junior defender
Maria Bertoni's (Jefferson, Md./Brunswick) first career goal helped the St. Mary's College of Maryland women's soccer team secure a 2-0 Capital Athletic Conference victory over Salisbury University Saturday afternoon.
The Seahawks (6-4-2, 3-1-0 CAC) posted their first win over Salisbury (6-4-3, 3-1-0 CAC) since 2005 and their first shutout against the Sea Gulls since 2004. SU now owns a 23-4-3 record in the 20-year history of the series.
Salisbury controlled the tempo in the first half as they doubled up St. Mary's in shots by a 6-3 margin and earned the only corner kick of the half. First-year goalkeeper Sydney Larkin (Salisbury, Md./Parkside) and the Seahawk defense stood strong against the SU attack with Larkin making three saves.
Shots were even in the second stanza at five apiece but it was St. Mary's who made the most of its opportunities. Junior forward Gillian Sawyer (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake) converted her second penalty kick attempt of the season to put the Seahawks up 1-0 at 72:22. The goal sparked urgency in St. Mary's as they worked to give themselves a cushion against the Sea Gulls' dangerous attack.
Bertoni responded for her team just five minutes later as she whipped around at the top of the penalty box and launched a high volley shot that went over senior Michelle Conrad's (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East) outstretched arms.
Not only did Bertoni provide the insurance marker, she also shut down Salisbury's leading point-getter, junior forward Victoria Luc (Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake), holding her to just two shots (one on goal). Luc had entered the game ranked in the Top 5 in the CAC with seven goals and 15 points.
In registering her fifth shutout, Larkin picked up six stops in the Seahawks' three-game win streak while Conrad finished with four saves as Salisbury saw its six-match unbeaten streak come to an end.
Salisbury came up with an 11-8 shot advantage for the game while corner kicks were even at one each.
The Seahawks continue with conference play on Wednesday, October 15th as St. Mary's travels to Newport News, Virginia to face regionally-ranked Christopher Newport University (8-2-2, 4-0-0 CAC) under the lights at 7:30 p.m.
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