Women's Soccer Takes Down the Warriors, 2-1

Wednesday, October 14

North Andover, MA

3:00 PM

Sacred Heart

8-5-0, 3-4-0

Merrimack

2-9-3, 0-6-2

Team	1	2	Final F
Sacred Heart	0	2	2
Merrimack	1	0	1

10/14/2026 5:09:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Riehl tallied her second game winner of the season

By: Joe Verrillo

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Sacred Heart University women's soccer team snapped its three-game losing streak with a much-needed 2-1 victory over Merrimack on Wednesday afternoon. The win earned the Pioneers three valuable points in the Metro Conference standings.

Records:
Sacred Heart: (8-5-0, 3-4-0 METRO)
Merrimack: (2-9-3, 0-6-2 METRO)

Top Performers:
Shea Kelleher: 1 goal | 1 assist | 8 total shots
Alexandra Riehl: 1 goal

Between the Pipes:
Sacred Heart: Kyran Thievon: (W, 5-3-0) 1 goal against | 3 saves
Merrimack: Addison Israel: 2 goals against | 8 saves

How it Happened:
The Pioneers came out aggressive, controlling the offensive pace throughout the opening 15 minutes. Sacred Heart recorded four shots during that stretch, including three from Kelleher, but was unable to find the back of the net. Despite the Pioneers' early offensive pressure, Merrimack capitalized on a corner kick opportunity, finding the back of the net to give the Warriors an early 1-0 lead.
In the 17th minute, the Pioneers created their best scoring opportunity of the match thus far. Emily Hood sent a dangerous cross into the box, finding Kelleher one-on-one with the Merrimack goalkeeper. Kelleher fired a shot on goal, but the Warriors' keeper came up with an impressive save to preserve the 1-0 lead.
The Pioneers continued to apply offensive pressure throughout the remainder of the opening half. Despite a few attacking opportunities from Merrimack, Sacred Heart controlled possession for much of the half and consistently created scoring chances. The Pioneers held a commanding 7-2 advantage in shots on goal, but were unable to break through, entering halftime trailing 1-0.
The opening 15 minutes of the second half mirrored the first, as the Pioneers continued to control possession and apply offensive pressure. In the 60th minute, Lauren Roeder nearly found the equalizer, firing a shot that struck the crossbar, keeping Sacred Heart just inches away from tying the score.
In the 66th minute, the Pioneers' relentless offensive pressure finally paid off. Following a Merrimack foul inside the box, Kelleher stepped up to the penalty spot and buried the shot, tying the score at 1-1.
Just minutes later, it was Riehl who found the back of the net. Her third of the season was a big one, granting the Pioneers a lead off a feed from who else, but Kelleher.
For the remainder of the match, the Pioneers continued to apply pressure on the Warriors, maintaining their offensive momentum. On the defensive end, Thievon and the Sacred Heart backline were rarely tested, but the Pioneer goalkeeper came up with a crucial save in the 86th minute to keep Merrimack off the scoreboard.
The Pioneers were able to hold on to gain crucial points in the Metro Conference standings.

Of Note:
Kelleher scored her seventh goal of the season
Riehl's third goal of the season is her second game-winner of the season

Up Next:
The Pioneers are back in action this Saturday, October 17 as they head to Riverdale, New York to face off against another conference foe, the Manhattan Jaspers. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 PM.