ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. — The Bard College Women's Soccer Team scored with just over five minutes to play to earn a 1-0 win over Purchase College at Ferrari Field on Saturday afternoon. Junior Waleska Brito scored the goal, her third of the season, to give the Raptors a 3-1 record this season.

The match was also a success for Bard Women's Soccer in that it used the game to bring awareness to Morgan's Message, a charity designed to enhance awareness and access for mental health.

Bard (3-1) was in control throughout the game, and out-shot Purchase (2-1-3) by a 35-7 count, with 17 of those 35 being shots on goal. Despite a number of excellent chances, the Raptors only earned their goal with a few minutes to play. Mahlia Slaiby sent a cross to the right side of the box that missed Emma Kuntz. Sophomore Carina Cooke kept the ball alive to send over a cross of her own, but Purchase goalkeeper Carolyn Hough slightly deflected the ball high to give Bard a chance at another shot on goal. The ball bounced to Waleska Brito who got a foot to the ball before being knocked over, bravely getting the shot on goal and sending the Raptor bench and crowd into a frenzy.

The first half ended with a flurry of shots coming from Slaiby, Emma Kuntz, and Kylie Quinn, but despite the opportunities the half ended scoreless. Neither team could seem to find the goal, but both teams competed at a high level where the game could go either way. Purchase produced 7 shots for the game as 3 of the shots were on goal, but the Raptors proved to be a tough match up defensively keeping the ball out of Purchase's possession. Goalkeeper Seymone Rosenberg had several excellent saves, earning her first shutout of the season.

Purchase got 16 saves from goalkeeper Carolyn Hough, and played well throughout. The closest the Raptors came to scoring before their goal was a penalty kick early in the second half that hit the post before bouncing clear.

The match benefited Morgan's Message, which was created by the family of Morgan Rodger, a former Duke University lacrosse student-athlete who tragically passed away in July of 2019. The goal of Morgan's Message is to eliminate stigma surrounding mental health and normalize conversations about mental health to ensure mental health is treated equally to physical health. The Raptors wore blue headbands and hair ties to show their support in alignment with Morgan's Message. 

The Raptors travel to the city on Monday, September 18th at 6pm to play the Brooklyn College Bulldogs in their last non-conference matchup before Liberty League competition next weekend when the team hosts Ithaca.