BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA — Molloy defeated Southern Conn. St. 2-1 on Friday, extending its winning streak to three matches. The visiting Lions broke through in the second half after a tightly contested first 45 minutes, with goals from Rebecca Petrellese and Michela Napolitano securing the victory. Molloy improved to 11-2-4 overall with the road win.
Southern Conn. St. struck first when Shelby Green scored in the 13th minute, assisted by Ryleigh Phillips, giving the home team an early advantage. The goal came against the run of play, as Molloy had controlled much of the opening period. Despite the Lions' pressure, the Owls held their lead through halftime, setting up a competitive second half.
Petrellese equalized for Molloy in the 39th minute, assisted by Abigail Smith, drawing level before intermission. The goal energized the visiting squad and shifted momentum heading into the break. Molloy's attacking prowess became evident as the match progressed, with the Lions generating multiple scoring opportunities throughout the contest.
Napolitano delivered the decisive goal in the 62nd minute, putting Molloy ahead 2-1. The strike proved to be the match-winner, as Southern Conn. St. could not find an equalizer despite late pressure. Molloy's defense held firm in the final stages, preserving the narrow victory.
Molloy dominated possession and chance creation, recording 20 shot attempts compared to Southern Conn. St.'s seven. The Lions converted two