WATERBURY, Conn. –  For the last three conference matches, the Post University Women's Soccer offense has struggled to get going, being shut out in three of those matchups and needing a win on Thursday at Municipal Stadium against Holy Family University in a make-up game from September. While the Eagles would net two second-half goals, three goals in the first 20 minutes of the first half would be plenty to propel the Tigers to their third conference win and sink Post to 1-5-0 in conference play with a 5-2 defeat.

THE BASICS 

Post University 2, Holy Family University 5

Post University (1-9-0, 1-5-0 CACC)

Holy Family University (3-7-1, 3-4-0 CACC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
Senior midfielder Allison Loper had a first half to remember for the Tigers, tallying up five points just 20:34 into the match. Loper helped get the scoring started in the 10th minute on her assist on senior defender Maura Kilkenny's goal from outside the 20-yard line and then proceeded to score the next two goals of the match for Holy Family just over nine minutes apart to give them a 3-0 lead.

The Eagles would have a couple of point-blank shot opportunities from sophomore midfielder Reese Kloetzer and senior forward Alyssa Hebb, but they would go wide of sophomore goalkeeper Jaina Preuhs in goal to keep the deficit at three goals. With the first half winding down, graduate midfielder Alyanna Beaudoin nearly got Post on the scoreboard, heading a ball towards Preuhs who was just able to get her hands on it to prevent the score and preserve her first-half shutout before being lifted.

Sophomore Aryn Nisbet would also only play 45 minutes like Preuhs as the second half saw senior goalkeeper Hannah Marriott enter for Post and sophomore goalkeeper Hannah LaBadie in net for the Tigers. LaBadie's team would give her an insurance goal in net straight out of the half with freshman forward Bridget Dickson's score, but the Eagles would answer back with two straight goals that looked to put them back in the match.

The first came as Holy Family looked to clear the ball from the defensive zone and Hebb looked to step in front of the clear which ricocheted directly off her face and rainbowed over LaBadie's head for an inadvertent goal that made it 4-1 and was credited to Hebb for her sixth of the season. Six minutes later on a beautiful cross pass from sophomore midfielder Delia Kotsaftis, freshman midfielder Rhee Morrison scored her first collegiate goal to cut the deficit in half with still about 20 minutes to play.

However, Holy Family would work their starters back into the match and tack on another goal from sophomore midfielder Carly Fox in the 80th minute, leaving Municipal Stadium with a 5-2 win over the Eagles.

BY THE NUMBERS 

• Committing 20 fouls in today's match, that was a new single-game high for Post University this season – Holy Family University committed 14 fouls in the match
• Jaina Preuhs had a perfect first half in net for Holy Family University, making two saves on the two shots she faced, earning her second win of the season in net for the Tigers
• Allowing five goals to Holy Family today, this was the first time since 2006 in which Post University allowed five-plus goals against the Tigers – That matchup was at home and finished in a 6-0 loss for the Eagles
• Post University falls to 2-20-0 all-time against Holy Family University since their first matchup back in 2002 – The only two wins the Eagles got were against the Tigers were in 2013 and 2022

WHO'S NEXT 
Post University hosts Senior Day this Saturday at LaMoy Field with a 12:00 PM kick off against Lincoln University and the ceremony starting at 11:45 AM before starting lineups. This is the first time both teams will meet in conference play as the Lions joined the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference this fall, but they met back on September 10th, 2013, for their only matchup in program history in which Post won 2-0 at home.