EAST STROUDSBURG – The East Stroudsburg University women's soccer team was edged by Molloy, 1-0, in non-conference action on Monday night at Eiler-Martin Stadium.
 
ESU (9-4, 8-3 PSAC East) had won five of its last six games before being handed just its fourth loss of the season by Molloy (10-3-1, 4-2-0 ECC) despite outshooting the Lions by a 16-10 margin in the match.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Mauri Jackson, who is coming off her third PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week Award, made five saves in the contest. Jackie Carty also stopped five shots in net for Molloy to collect the shutout victory.
 
On the offensive end, Haley Skove fired off a team-high four shots for ESU, while Monica Wood registered three.
 
After a slow offensive start to the game for both teams, ESU posted three solid scoring opportunities following the midway mark of the first half. The first chance came just as the clock dipped below the 15-minute mark as Danielle Cary picked up a loose ball inside the box and fired a high shot. Carty made a lunging leap and was able to punch it over the crossbar and out of bounds for a corner to keep the game scoreless.
 
Minutes later, ESU rookie Melissa Herrera made a bid for her seventh goal of the season, but was once again turned away by Carty. Herrera's high shot from the top of the box was punched over the bar and away from danger again by the netminder.
 
ESU's best scoring opportunity of the opening frame came with just 5:43 remaining in the half. Brienn Seaman corralled an errant cross and fired a shot from around six yards out, but Carty made a quick reaction with a diving save to her left to keep the game scoreless.
 
After the Warriors outshot Molloy 9-3 in the first half, the Lions came out with some quick offense in the second half, striking for the game's lone goal just one minute and 29 seconds into the stanza. Dana Poetzsch, who is tied for the Division II lead with 17 goals on the year, sent a thru ball to a streaking Lexi Verni, who went in one-on-one with Jackson. Verni desposited a low shot just inside the near post to give Molloy a 1-0 advantage on her sixth goal of the season.
 
ESU had a golden opportunity to tie things up with just under 10 minutes remaining in the match. Off a free kick, Jessica Woodbyrne lofted a ball into the box where Skove ran onto it and sent a header towards the far post. Skove's attempt skimmed just wide of the pipe, as Molloy remained on top.


With 4:35 showing on the clock, Wood curled a shot from outside the 18-yard box, attempting to bury it inside the far post. Carty lunged to her left and dove to make the save and keep the Warriors off the board.
 
The Lions were able to hold off ESU in the final minutes to come away with the 1-0 victory and register their fifth straight win.
 
ESU continues its home stand on Wednesday against Mansfield at 7 p.m. at Eiler-Martin Stadium.