Nolan Scores Twice in 2-0 Victory

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – University of Saint Joseph senior forward Patricia Nolan (Portland, Conn.) scored a goal in each half to lead the soccer team to 2-0 victory Tuesday over Regis College in a non-conference game at St. Joseph.

St. Joseph improved to 6-2 overall while Regis dropped to 2-4-1. USJ won for the fourth time in a row, outscoring their opponents 18-1 over that stretch. The game was a rematch of last year's ECAC quarterfinal, won by St. Joseph 3-0 in a driving snowstorm.

USJ sophomore Sara Barnick (Watertown, Conn.) set up Nolan's first goal, 9:28 into the game. Barnick dribbled into the left side of the box and fed Nolan in the middle with a pin-point cross and Nolan knocked in a low shot from five yards.

The Blue Jays controlled field position throughout and outshot Regis in the first half, 11-4 and 22-6 for the game. USJ also took 10 corner kicks to none for Regis.

Nolan, the reigning GNAC player of the Week, scored an unassisted goal in the 66th minute. She made a 15-yard run into the right side of the box, sustained contact from a defender and slid a low shot across the goalmouth from a few yards out that settled into the net inside the far post.

The two goals gave Nolan a team-leading 10 for the season and she extended her career school record to 55 goals.

Regis sophomore goalkeeper Rachel Gagnon (Ashford, Conn.) kept the Pride in the game and made 10 saves, several on excellent scoring chances. USJs Melissa Dodge made three saves for her fourth shutout of the season and lowered her Goals Against Average to 0.46.

The game was taped by CPTV Sports and will be first broadcast Thur. Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. with additional showings at dates and time to be announced.

St. Joseph next plays at St. Joseph's of Maine, Sat. Sept. 28 in a GNAC game at 2:30 p.m.