WENHAM, Mass.—A goal in the 72^nd minute by senior Jules Speno (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) broke a scoreless tie and the Lions of Eastern Nazarene were able to hold on for the 1-0 win on the Quad. Gordon was unable to capitalize on a few opportunities in the second half, as the Lions fought off less than ideal weather to beat the Scots for the first time in over 10 years.
 
For much of the match, the two Commonwealth Coast Conference opponents were defended more by the Nor'easter like conditions with wind in access of 40 mph, which caused scoring opportunities to be few in number. The Lions seemed to find a rhythm on the soggy field in the first few minutes of play, earning two corners before the 4' mark. A shot by Kelly Couite (West Bridgewater, Mass.) off the second corner headed toward the inside of the right post, but McKenzie Dion (No. Grafton, Mass.) was able to making the diving stop.
 
In the 17^th minute, dangerous midfielder Hannah Midwinter (Barkhamsted, Conn.) came up with one of the Fighting Scots' best chances of the day. Midwinter settled a through ball and launched a shot from 25 yards out that was right on target. The shot caught the crossbar square in the middle and bounced out of play.
 
The first half ended scoreless with Eastern Nazarene leading the Scots 7-3 in shots and 2-1 in shots on goal.
 
Once again the Lions came out of the break as the aggressors on the offensive end, forcing Dion to make two good stops in the first five minutes of the second stanza. Kaelyn Silveira (Bristol, R.I.) booted the Fighting Scots first corner attempt of the half, which the Lions were initially able to clear before it was wrangled in by Kara Dry (Madison, Conn.). Dry sent a clean shot that skipped across the wet grass, but it was stopped by ENC keeper Kristen Farley (Westminster, Mass.).
 
Midwinter had her second clean look at the net in the 56^th minute when she chipped a shot that quickly sunk just under the crossbar. Before it crossed the line, Farley was able to punch the ball out and catch it for the brilliant save.
 
Gordon had another chance in the 68^th minute on a fastbreak by Lauren Hayes (Wantage, N.J.). Hayes tried to flick the ball on net as Farley slipped in the grass, but the ENC goalkeeper was able to get her fingers on it and pull it in.
 
The Lions (7-9, 4-3 CCC) changed the flow of the game in the 77^th minute, when Speno got possession of a long ball over the top of the Gordon midfield. She settled the ball just outside of the 18-yard box and took one touch to her right before firing a shot straight into the upper right corner of the goal. Alexis Schmidt (North Smithfield, R.I.) was credited for the assist on the score.
 
The Fighting Scots (11-5, 4-3 were unable to counter back the other way for the final 13 minutes and ENC held on for the big conference victory. Farley finished with six saves in the victory, while Dion stopped five shots for her fifth loss of the year.
Gordon goes back on the road on Saturday afternoon for a noon start at Salve Regina, while finishes the season with two home games against Nichols and Endicott.