SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Senior Alyssa Werbicki (Chicopee, Mass.) scored her third goal of the season, but it was not enough as the American International College women's soccer team dropped a, 3-1, decision to Southern New Hampshire University in Northeast-10 action this evening from Abdow Field.
The Penman used three second-half tallies to down the Jackets and improve to 3-1 on the year and 1-1 in conference play while AIC falls to 1-3 and 0-1 in the NE-10.
SNHU came out of the intermission with more intensity and it showed right away as they notched the equalizer in the 52nd minute when sophomore Trisha Luis (Lowell, Mass.) found the back of the net.
It was then Luis again this time in the 59th minute as she potted the eventual winning tally when she split the defense in the box and chipped the ball high into the left corner for the 2-1 score.
A late insurance goal was secured by freshman Nerida Montrond (Brockton, Mass.) as just after checking into the game she raced through the Jackets backline and fired through the hands of AIC senior keeper Rachel Edgin (Whitesboro, N.Y.) as she scampered back to try and corral it, but it squeaked over the goal line for the 3-1 score.
American International didn't quit though as they generated multiple scoring chances toward the end of the game, but came up empty. Freshman Johanna Nilsson (Ulricehamn, Sweden) made a nifty play on the left side of the box to find classmate Emilia Hed (Dalarna, Sweden) in the middle, however, her attempt to pick the far post knuckled wide and out of harm's way.
Then with 3:30 to play in regulation junior Brianna Kenney (Longmeadow, Mass.) fed a beautiful cross into the box that was knocked down by freshman Federica Frew (Melbourne, Australia) as she found herself alone in front, but her shot sailed up and clanked the crossbar keeping the score 3-1.
It was all AIC in the first-half as they controlled possession and defended hard with Werbicki opening the scoring in the 25th minute as Frew collected the ball on the right post and chipped it to the middle where the senior found the ball on her left foot and beat the keeper to the left for the 1-0 edge.
Edgin stopped four shots in the loss while Penman junior Autumn Scanlon (Waltham, Mass.) made six saves in the victory.
AIC outshot the visitors 16-13 with each team generated seven on target. SNHU held the decisive margin in corner kicks 6-1.
The Jackets return to action on Saturday evening as they travel to New Haven for a 7 p.m. affair as conference play rolls on.
