HIGHTLIGHTS (YouTube)

WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The University of New Haven women's soccer team remained unbeaten with a 2-0 blanking of Saint Anselm this afternoon on Kayo Field. Amber Simms (Southport, England/Southport) and Marisa Garcia (Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) each scored an unassisted goal in the Chargers' Northeast-10 opener.
 
New Haven improves to 3-0-1 on the season and 1-0 in NE-10 action. The visiting Hawks drop to 1-2-1 overall with an 0-1 conference tally.
 
Natasha Purchla (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) turned away all four shots that she faced to preserve her first solo shutout of the fall.
 
Simms' goal came just 3:34 into the match and stood up as the game-winner. Garcia crossed a ball from the right side that got past intended target Monica Yanez (West Haven, Conn./West Haven). Simms came up empty on her first attempt but buried the second chance past Saint Anselm goal keeper Gabriella Primera to give New Haven a quick 1-0 advantage. The junior forward has scored three goals through four matches this season and 11 in her Charger career.
 
The insurance tally from Garcia came in the 58th minute. Taylor Szyarto (Howell, N.J./Howell) crossed a ball into the box with Yanez and Garcia in striking distance. New Hawks' goalie Cassie Quattropani attempted to punch the ball out of harm's way, but the orb caromed to the foot of Garcia, who sent it into the vacated net to extend the margin to 2-0.
 
The goal was Garcia's first of the season and fourth of her career.
 
Aided by a strong effort by a back line consisting of Szyarto, Amanda Hathaway (Stillwater, N.Y./Stillwater), Miranda Smith (Magnolia, Del./Camden) and Carlie Schecht (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip), Purchla's shutout was her fourth-career solo clean sheet. The most spectacular of her four saves was the final stop – a diving effort to turn away Saint Anselm's Siobhan Flaherty in the 87th minute.
 
The Chargers outshot the visitors, 17-15, and held a 3-2 edge on corner kicks. Primera made four saves for the Hawks in the first half and Quattropani registered six saves after the intermission.
 
Northeast-10 action resumes on Wednesday, Sept. 18 when Assumption visits Kayo Field for a 4 p.m. contest that will be broadcast live in high definition free of charge on NewHavenChargers.com.