Reno, Nevada – There were plenty of firsts in the 2017 season opener for the Fordham women's soccer team. New players saw their first action as a Ram, some returnees made their first career start, and others got on the scoresheet for the first time in the their career. The biggest of those firsts came from sophomore
Juliana Mascelli, as she scored her first career goal in the fourth minute to give the Rams a lead they would not relinquish, defeating the Nevada Wolfpack, 2-0, at the Moana Springs Sports Complex in Reno, Nevada.
The win improves Fordham to 11-12-2 all-time in season openers, with the last season-opening win, coming in 2015. It was also Fordham's first win over Nevada, having lost the only other match-up with the Wolfpack back in 2009.
Fordham wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the fourth minute.
Clara Gastaldi found
Juliana Mascelli for a shot to the top right corner of the net for Mascelli's first career goal.
Amanda Miller
The score remained that way into 44
th minute, when Fordham capitalized again.
Crea Baker-Durante put a cross right to
Amanda Miller in front of the goal, which she knocked home for her first of the season and third of her career.
Those two markers would be enough for the Rams, as Fordham did not allow a goal in the game, as none of Nevada's 11 shots got past Fordham's new look defender core of
Emma Johnson,
Brooklyn Gonzalez,
Margaret Roughley, and
Brooke Salmon, and the goalkeeping duo of
Colleen Hickey and
Kelly LaMorte. Hickey, making her first career start, earned the win, making three saves in the first half, while LaMorte, who missed all of last season with injury, had a pair of saves in the second half.
The Fordham women's soccer team will look to make it two wins in a row on Sunday, August 20
th, when the Rams travel to Saint Mary's (Calif.) for a 6:30 PM ET (3:30 PM PT) start.
