MARIETTA, Ohio (Sept. 1) – A goal off of a corner kick in the match's ninth minute proved to be the difference, as the Saint Vincent women's soccer team dropped its 2023 season-opener by a 1-0 score at Marietta College.
 
The Bearcats were unable to score the equalizer in the evenly played match. Marietta held a slim 14-13 advantage in shots, while both teams were credited with six shots on goal.
 
Following Marietta's early goal, the Bearcats saw their best scoring chance in the first half in the 23rd minute, when a shot by Tanisha Grewal targeted for the lower right corner was saved. Three minutes later, SVC was granted its first corner kick, with Jordan Kirkwood's shot off the set piece sailing high.
 
The teams shared four shots on goal in the opening stages of the second half, with SVC keeper Madison Arnold turning aside a pair, and the Bearcats' Madisen Geesaman and Tanisha Grewal each denied over a three-minute span. Arnold turned in her third save of the half in the 63rd minute, before a shot from Lexi Durkacs with 17 minutes left was denied by Marietta goalie Sarah Legg.
 
Saint Vincent's best scoring chance came with just over a minute left in regulation. After a foul was whistled just outside of the box, the Bearcats' Cori Bieber sent the free kick into traffic in front. With 52 seconds left, Jude Galvin sent a shot in from eight yards out, but Legg made the save and the Pioneers would run out the clock.
 
Arnold finished with six saves for the Bearcats, while Grewal and Kirkwood led SVC with three shots apiece.
 
Saint Vincent will look to bounce back when it opens up its 2023 home campaign on Sunday, Sept. 3, facing off against Hiram College at noon at UPMC Field.