UNION, N.J. -- Graduate students Mary Haggerty (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) and Niamh Healy (Orangeburg, N.Y./Tappan Zee) each found the back of the net to lead The University of Scranton women's soccer team (1-0) to a 2-0 victory over the Kean Cougars (0-1) in the 2024 season opener on Friday night at Kean Alumni Stadium in Union.

The Royals have now won seven straight meetings against Kean dating back to the 2015 season.

Head coach Colleen Pivirotto's team immediately threatened in the early stages of the first half as Kean's Abigail Wing made a save on a shot from Haggerty in the sixth minute. Less than a minute later, graduate student Claire Mulholland (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) whipped a ball in from the left wing and Healy buried the shot for a 1-0 edge. The Royals continued to threaten and a shot from Healy in the 13^th minute deflected off the cross bar, while Wing made five saves in the first 14 plus minutes. Haggerty was able to extend the lead in the 21^st minute as the ball deflected off a Kean defender and the Royals' midfielder immediately sent a shot to the low post past an outstretched Wing to make it a 2-0.

Scranton saw a handful of chances in the second half with a pair of shots on goal apiece from Healy and sophomore Jenna Borelli (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) over an eight plus minute span. In the 62^nd minute, senior goalie Nicole Olson (Stoughton, Mass./Ursuline Academy) denied Kean's Courtney Irwin to keep things at a two-goal game and a shot from the Cougars' Kaydence Oakley deflected off the crossbar in the 69^th minute.

The Royals held a decisive 25-6 edge in shots led by five from Healy and four from Borelli, while Olson made one save to notch the clean sheet.

Wing tallied 11 saves in the setback for Kean.

The University of Scranton women's soccer team will battle Stockton in a neutral site match on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Kean.

--ROYALS--