WELLESLEY, Mass.  -  The Coast Guard Academy women's soccer team picked up an always-important conference victory today at Wellesley on Saturday afternoon, besting the Blue by a one-goal difference. The win puts the Bears at 2-7-3 (2-2-1 NEWMAC) with six games to go in the season.

Both teams were scoreless throughout the first half. Coast Guard took six shots during the opening 45 minutes, with five being saved by Wellesley goalkeeper Riley McNair and the other being blocked by a defender. On the other side of the pitch, the Bears back line held Wellesley to only four shot attempts with two being on target; both were saved by Coast Guard's Emily Scharnitzky.

Coast Guard broke the stalemate in the 67^th minute after a free-kick goal by Isabella Brittian. Wellesley was called for a foul on the edge of the left side of the penalty box, and Brittian was tasked with the kick. The first-year lined herself up and sent a high lob shot towards the goal. McNair's just missed on her attempt to stop the shot as the ball bounced off her left hand and into the top left corner. It was Brittian's first collegiate goal.

Coast Guard played excellent defense to close out the match, holding their hosts to just two shots for the remainder of play. Scharnitzky made three saves on the day while facing eight shots throughout the match. Coast Guard ramped up their aggressiveness on offense for the second half, taking 14 shots during the final 45 minutes; McNair finished with 11 saves as a result.

The Bears had the advantage on corners with a 7-4 difference and played more physical defense, being called for 11 fouls with a yellow card in the 90^th minute while Wellesley had six fouls and no cards.

Coast Guard women's soccer heads to Cambridge, Mass. on Wednesday, Oct. 16th to face #6 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with kick-off set for 5:00 PM. MIT is 9-1-1 (4-0 NEWMAC) this season and will have visited Springfield College on Saturday and #15 Williams College on Sunday before their match vs. the Bears.