FOND DU LAC, WI –  The Beloit College's women's soccer team traveled up to Fond Du Lac for a hard-fought battle against Marian University (3-0-0, 0-0-0 NACC) this evening. The Bucs fell 1-0 in a closely contested match at Smith Field. Despite the loss, the Buccaneers showed promising defensive resolve and an eagerness to attack throughout the 90 minutes.

From the whistle, Beloit's goalkeeper, Kaya Williams (Cincinnati, OH), was put to the test, facing a barrage of shots in the first half. She stood tall, making an impressive 6 saves in the opening 45 minutes, keeping the Buccaneers (0-2-0, 0-0-0 MWC) in the game. Sophia Dietz (Schaumburg, IL) took over in goal for the second half and also performed admirably, adding 4 saves to Beloit's tally. The combined effort of Beloit's goalkeepers highlights a strong foundation for their defensive unit this season.

Offensively, the Buccaneers generated 4 shots on the day, with 3 of those being on target. Willow Mashkuri (Middlesex, Vt.) recorded Beloit's first shot on goal just 45 seconds into the match, forcing a save from Marian's Chelsea King. Sarah Connors (Paso Robles, CA) also tested the Marian keeper in the first half. While the Buccaneers were outshot by Marian, their ability to put shots on frame demonstrates their intent to create scoring opportunities.

The sole goal of the match came in the 69th minute when Marian's Anna Riley found the back of the net, assisted by Emily Gordillo. Despite this late score, Beloit continued to press, with Connors registering another shot on goal in the 85th minute, forcing a final save from Marian's goalkeeper.

The Buccaneers host Concordia-Chicago on Sunday for their first home match of the season. Kick off from the Strong Complex Soccer field is set for 1 p.m.