THROGGS NECK, NY – On Friday afternoon, the Maritime College women's soccer team got its 2024 season underway by hosting Brooklyn at Reinhart Field.  Sara Williams (Oceanside, NY) broke a scoreless tie in the 76^th minute, when she put home the rebound after Eva Garcia's (Rockville Centre, NY) shot was saved.  That tally proved to be the difference, as the Privateers (1-0-0) notched a 1-0 victory over the Bulldogs (0-1-0).

After Devon Etienne (Garden City, NY) made a save on the other end, Garcia got free down the left side and had a one-on-one with Brooklyn goalkeeper April Hartje.  Hartje stopped Garcia's attempt, but the rebound went right onto the foot of Williams.  She put it home into the lower right corner for what turned out to be the only goal of the contest.

It was primary a defensive battle over the first 75 minutes, as Etienne (1-0-0) and Hartje (0-1-0) each did their part to keep the game scoreless.  Hartje was credited with five first-half saves, including four in the first 18 minutes.  Overall, she stopped eight Maritime shots.  Etienne, meanwhile, made five of her seven saves in the second half.

The Privateers nearly broke the deadlock in the 50^th minute.  Garcia had a shot saved and another deflected off a Brooklyn defender for a corner kick.  However, the Bulldogs were able to clear after the set piece, leaving the score knotted at 0-0, where it would remain until Williams netted the game-winner.

It was the second career goal for Williams, whose previous tally came in a 5-0 home victory over Yeshiva last season.  Garcia was credited with an assist on the score for her first collegiate point.  Etienne recorded the fifth clean sheet of her career in the winning effort.

Maritime, which has now won each of its last five season-openers, begins its Skyline Conference schedule with a 7 p.m. matchup against Yeshiva (0-0-0, 0-0-0 Skyline) on Tuesday.  The game will be played at Frederick Douglass Field on the campus of Rutgers-Newark.