LOUDONVILLE, NY – Siena Women’s Soccer could not have gotten off to a much faster start to its 2018 season. Sophomore Deanna Lomino scored just 16 seconds into the season opener to propel the Saints’ to a 1-0 victory over Big East foe Seton Hall at Siena Field. Junior goalkeeper Taylor Dorado needed to only make one save to record the shutout for Siena, which improved to 7-2-2 in its last 11 season openers overall, and has now won four straight home lid-lifters.

 

A trio of sophomores combined to get Siena’s season off on the right foot. Immediately following the opening kickoff, Ryan Augstell led in Jayanna Monds down the left side. Monds sent in a cross towards the middle, which Lomino redirected in for her second career goal. Lomino’s quick strike was tied for the 32^nd fastest goal to start a match in NCAA history.

 

Lomino’s opening minute score would hold up as the veteran defense did the rest for the Saints, which improved to a stellar 34-6-2 (.833) in non-conference home matches spanning the past 11 years. Siena out-shot Seton Hall 10-7, limiting the Pirates to only two shots on goal to tally the clean sheet.

 

Nonetheless, both teams had some solid chances. Each side had a goal waived off late for offsides, and both teams also had defenders record saves. In the 18^th minute, Seton Hall’s Marissa Aniolowski directed a header towards the far post which was cleared off the line by a Siena defender. Meanwhile in the 37^th minute the Saints’ Meghan Riccardi split a pair of defenders and, after her initial shot hit the post, her rebound attempt was saved by a back. Riccardi recorded one of the match’s two shots which hit iron, the other of which came with just 19 seconds remaining when the Pirates’ final attempt by Emma Ramsay clanged off the crossbar.

 

The victory marked just the Saints’ third-ever win in 11 tries over a current Big East program. Siena previously defeated Providence in consecutive years in 2009 and 2010. The Saints and Seton Hall also matched up in last year's season opener in South Orange, however play was halted with the contest scoreless in the 46^th minute following an 80-minute weather delay and declared a no-contest.

 

Anna McLean made four saves for the Pirates which are now winless over their past 22 matches dating back to the 2016 season (0-17-5).

 

Siena, which opens 2018 with four of its first six matches in Loudonville, concludes its season opening wraparound weekend Monday when they host Hartford at 3 p.m.