DANBURY, CT – Junior Emily Newhard (Wallingford, CT) assisted on the game's first goal and scored the second to lead the Western Connecticut State University women's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Kean University Wednesday evening at the Westside Athletic Complex. 

Western kept the ball pinned in the Kean end of the field for most of the first 10 minutes, generating two shots and a corner kick, but no goals as the game remained scoreless.  After 20 minutes, Western led 6-0 in shots and 2-0 in corner kicks, but the score remained 0-0. 

At the 32:18 mark of the first half, Western got on the scoreboard when junior Emily Newhard (Wallingford, CT) attacked the middle of the Kean defense at the top of the box, but passed to her left to senior Kelsey Chacho (Plainville, CT) who had beaten the cougar defense on the left side of the goal.  Chacho shot quickly, delivering the ball to the back of the net for a 1-0 Western lead. 

At the half, Western still held a 12-4 advantage in shots, and a 1-0 lead on the scoreboard. 

With four minutes played in the second half, senior Lisa Sanzari (North Haven, CT) made a hard run on the right side with the ball before delivering a pass to the front of the goal.  The ball glanced off a Kean defender, but was quickly redirected into the goal by Newhard to push the Western lead to 2-0.

Western continued to limit the Kean chances to generate any offense, holding the Cougars to only five shots in the second half, and cruised to a 2-0 final margin of victory. 

For the game, Western held a 29-9 advantage in shots, and also had a 4-2 edge in corner kicks.  Western's sophomore keeper Jillian Fernandez (Columbia, CT) recorded four saves to pick up the win.  Senior KC Nunez (Fair Lawn, NJ) finished with 10 saves in a losing effort for Kean. 

With the win, Western improves to 11-5-1 on the season, while Kean falls to 9-6-1.  The Colonials return to action on Saturday, October 24, when the travel to Southern Maine for a critical Little East Conference matchup with the Huskies.  Game time is slated for 12:00 Noon.  Kean hosts conference rival Stockton on Saturday night.