BOX SCORE WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Marisa Garcia (Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) scored two goals – including the game-winner – to lead the University of New Haven women’s soccer team past  Adelphi, 3-0, on Wednesday afternoon on Kayo Field. Nicole Pacapelli (West Haven, Conn./West Haven / Stonehill College) also scored for the Chargers.
 
With the crucial Northeast-10 win, New Haven improves to 8-4-1 on the season and 5-4-1 in the conference. Adelphi, which entered the day ahead of the Chargers in the standings, drops to 7-4-2 with a 4-4-2 NE-10 tally.
 
Garcia’s first goal came in the 10th minute. Ali Espanol (Branford, Conn./Branford) came up to the offensive end from her spot in the back row and served a ball into the box from about 30 yards out. Garcia raised her right foot and redirected the pass into the back of the net to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead. The assist was the first of the season and sixth career helper for Español.
 
The one-goal margin stood into the intermission, as New Haven held the Panthers without a shot on goal in the first half.
 
The Chargers would extend their lead with Pacapelli’s 63rd-minute marker. After a flurry of chances came up empty – including a strike that hit the crossbar – New Haven broke through for its second goal when a Taylor Szyarto (Howell, N.J./Howell) cross from the right side found Pacapelli, who buried it into the vacated cage.
 
The goal was Pacapelli’s sixth of the season and her ninth in 30 matches as a Charger. Szyarto – a freshman – records her first assist and third point at New Haven.
 
Garcia’s second goal of the afternoon sealed the victory in the 84th minute. A long goal kick by Chargers’ keeper Natasha Purchla (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) was headed by Lucy Francisco (Lawrence, Mass./Lawrence ) just over midfield. The header went to Garcia, who made one move to beat a defender and raced into the box, where she dribbled around the advancing Adelphi goalkeeper and drove the ball into the goal.
 
After her first-career two-goal day, Garcia has racked up three markers and 11 total points in her rookie campaign. Francisco’s assist is the 13th helper and 55th point of her standout four-year career. She moves within one point of sixth place on New Haven’s all-time points list and pulls into a tie for ninth on the career assist ledger.
 
Purchla made seven second-half saves to preserve the clean sheet. Sam Whitney turned away five shots in the losing effort for Adelphi.
 
New Haven stays home this weekend to host Saint Michael’s on Kayo Field on Saturday. The 1 p.m. contest will be streamed live in high definition and available on most mobile devices on NewHavenChargers.com.