Springfield, Mass. — October 6, 2012 — Freshman Nicole Fowler scored twice to lead her Springfield College women’s soccer team to a 2-1 New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference victory over WPI this afternoon at Brock-Affleck Field at the Irv Schmid Sports Complex.

With the win, Springfield raised its record to 7-4 overall, 4-1 in the NEWMAC. WPI fell to 5-7 overall, 1-4 in the league.

Fowler, a forward from Maynard, Mass., scored her first goal just 9:13 into the contest. The tally was assisted by junior forward Nina Vital (Ludlow, Mass.). Vital controlled the ball in the middle of the attacking zone, then fed Fowler to the top right side of the box. Fowler then made one move past a defender and scored from 10 yards out.

About 12 minutes later, it was Fowler again, this time at the 21:30 mark of the game. Freshman midfielder Jessica Miller (Southbury, Conn.) was at the top of the box when she slipped a pass to Fowler on the right side. Fowler made one touch, shooting it with her left foot into the right side of the net from about eight yards out. That made it, 2-0, SC.

WPI had a very good opportunity later in the half when junior defender Natalie (Acton, Mass.) sent a long ball to junior midfielder Megan Forti (Lynn, Mass.). But Forti’s shot was thwarted by SC senior goalkeeper Erin Greenstein (Framingham, Mass.).

Thirteen minutes into the second half, Forti made it a one-goal game as she made good on a break-away after getting by a defender. She was able to successfully loft the ball over Greenstein’s head at the top of the box.

Greenstein was credited with three saves, while WPI’s junior GK Maddie Willer (Penfield, N.Y.) had two saves. SC outshot the Engineers, 8-5, and had four corner kicks to WPI’s three.

The Pride will play its next two games on the road — at UMass Dartmouth on Tuesday at 7 pm, and an important NEWMAC conference game at MIT on Saturday at 1 pm.