WORCESTER --
Abigail Johnson (Middletown, CT) registered a hat trick, including the game-winning goal early in the second half, as WPI women's soccer rallied for a 3-2 victory over Johnson & Wales Wednesday evening on H.Carr Field at Alumni Stadium.
With the victory, the Engineers improve to 3-3 on the season, while the Wildcats fall to 1-4. WPI, which began the season 0-2, has now won three of its last four contests.
The Engineers struck first just 3:17 into the contest.
Maeve Steckley (Irondequoit, NY) played a through ball to Johnson, who broke in alone and finished for her second goal of the season. The assist was the 50th career point for Steckley.
Johnson & Wales answered at 12:20 when
Sofia Soares (Ossining, NY) cleaned up a rebound of a shot by following a save by WPI goalkeeper
Ayla Verheul (Naarden, The Netherlands). WPI regained the lead less than two minutes later as
Caila Scully (Merrimack, NH) sent a long through ball to Johnson, who raced in on goal and scored at 13:56. The Wildcats responded just 1:27 later when
Anna Button (Glastonbury, CT) finished a feed from
Mia Mangano (Shoreham, NY) to knot the game at 2-2.
Johnson completed the hat trick at 55:41 to put the Engineers back in front. Steckley played the ball to Johnson outside the penalty area, and the junior forward dribbled into the box before firing home for her fourth goal of the season. The hat trick marked Johnson's first career multi-goal game and gives her 17 career goals. Johnson's three-goal performance is the first WPI hat trick since Steckley accomplished the feat against Worcester State on Sept. 14, 2024, in a 5-3 Engineers victory.
WPI's defense protected the one-goal advantage over the final 34 minutes. Verheul made six saves during her 45 minutes of work, while
Abigail Marsolais (Norton, MA) came on at halftime and stopped three shots without allowing a goal. The victory was the first of Marsolais' career. Johnson & Wales managed eight second-half shots, including a final attempt from the left side by Mangano that sailed high, but could not find the equalizer.
Ava Vaughan (New Boston, NH) made 12 stops in net for the Wildcats.
The Engineers finished with a 21-20 edge in shots and put 15 attempts on goal compared to 11 for the Wildcats. Johnson led all players with six shots, all on target, while Steckley added four shots and two shots on goal. Steckley finished with two assists, while Scully recorded one helper. Johnson & Wales held a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks, but WPI's defense limited the Wildcats to just three shots on target after halftime.
WPI kicks off NEWMAC play Saturday, heading down Park Ave. and over Beaver St. to face conference and city rival Clark at noon. The Wildcats return to GNAC play the same day, hosting Suffolk at 6pm.
