Tompkins Cortland Tops Women’s Soccer In Season Opener

BROCKTON, Mass. ---- Freshman Kayla Gomes (Halifax) scored a goal in her first collegiate contest for the Massasoit women's soccer team, but Tompkins Cortland netted five first-half goals and held on for a 5-1 victory on Sunday afternoon.

The Warriors (0-1) found themselves behind the eight ball before the game started with only nine players able to suit up. Despite being down two starters, head coach Jim Stapleton was pleased with the way the Warriors competed.

"When you are down two players including your goalie, it is certainly a challenge," Stapleton said. "I am proud of the girls because they did compete. It was nice to get one goal and we did have some chances to score against a very good TC3 team."

In the first eight minutes of action TC3 had three different players score to take an early 3-0 lead.

Despite being down two players on the field, the Warriors had their opportunities as both Haley Wells (Whitman) and Zhandali Fontes (Taunton) nailed the cross bar in the opening half.

Trailing 5-0 at intermission, Massasoit played tough with the Panthers in the second stanza, actually outshooting TC3 6-1.

Gomes found the back of the net for Massasoit's first goal of the 2014 season, off a through-ball pass from Shauna Fitzpatrick in the 89^th minute of action. She led the team with five total shots, three coming on goal.

Fontes finished second on the team with four shots.

Massasoit returns to the field on Saturday at 2 p.m. hosting Essex County CC.