KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Sept. 28, 2024) – Led by two-goal games from a trio of freshmen, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy women's soccer team defeated Purchase by a 7-0 margin to win its annual 142 Game, while also extending both its shutout streak and unbeaten streak to six games. USMMA improved to 5-1-2 (4-0-1 Skyline), while Purchase fell to 3-8-0 (1-3-0 Skyline).
 
Game Links

• Box Score
• WATCH: Postgame Interview With Freshman Sarah Welsch 

Freshman Sarah Welsch (Broomfield, Colo.) scored the game-winner as part of a two-goal, one-assist game to help pace USMMA, while classmates Jayme Santasiero (Houston, Texas) and Lucy Thomas (Alexandria, Va.) each added two goals. Sophomore Alexx Forman (Cincinnati, Ohio) rounded out the goal-scoring, while senior Natalie Colpoys (Rochester, N.Y.) tallied two assists and senior Margaret Ripperger (McKinney, Texas) earned the shutout in goal.
 
The Mariners took an early 1-0 lead in the 8th minute as a shot from Welsch grazed the left post and crossed the goal line.
 
USMMA nearly added to its lead in the 19th minute, but an effort from junior Morgan Mitchell (Amory, Miss.) found the crossbar. Mitchell later had a shot saved in the 21st minute.
 
The goal frame continued to keep the Mariners from adding to their lead. Santasiero hit the crossbar with a shot in the 27th minute before a header from Forman in the 29th minute went off the post.
 
Following three saves by the Purchase keeper, USMMA finally notched its second goal in the 41st minute. Senior Natalia Gallardo (El Paso, Texas) started the play by threading a pass between two defenders and Santasiero finished it off with a goal for a 2-0 lead at halftime.
 
USMMA was unlucky yet again in the 47th minute as a shot by Santasiero found the crossbar.
 
The Mariners eventually made it 3-0 in the 63rd minute when Thomas gathered a loose ball and fired a shot that went through the keeper's hands and into the back of the net.
 
USMMA pushed the lead to 4-0 in the 66th minute as Colpoys sent a crossing pass into the box for Forman, who finished with a quick one-timer.
 
After a failed clearance attempt in the 72nd minute led to Welsch's second goal and a 5-0 lead, Santasiero tallied her second goal of the game for a 6-0 advantage in the 74th minute off lead pass by Welsch.
 
Thomas tallied her second goal of the game with exactly two minutes remaining for the final 7-0 margin.
 
Purchase's starting keeper, junior Carolyn Hough, made six saves in the opening half. She was replaced by freshman Jill Creegan in the final stanza. Creegan made three stops in 45 minutes of action.
 
The Mariners next face rival Coast Guard for a 6 p.m. game this Wednesday, Oct. 2, up in New London, Conn.