The St. Thomas Aquinas College women's soccer team fell to a 5-1 defeat against the University of Bridgeport in their East Coast Conference opener at Spartan Field. STAC remained winless at 0-6-0 overall and 0-1 in conference play, with Bridgeport improving to 2-4, 1-0.

After an even first 15 minutes, Bridgeport gained control, breaking through at the 21:01 mark on Nara DaCosta's finish of a perfect Maegan Doyle pass off a free kick. Despite being outshot by a 10-0 margin at halftime, STAC goalkeeper Colleen Stevens kept her team within that one goal at the break. That set up the equalizer as Sarah Colotti's free kick deflected in off Victoria DeMarco, tying the game at 1-1 after 55:53.

That celebration was short-lived, however, as Doyle perfectly buried a free kick from just outside the box into the left corner of the net just 20 seconds later, giving the Purple Knights a lead they would not relinquish. Helen Klos provided an insurance marker at 71:01, and a pair of late goals exactly one minute apart sealed the victory for the visitors.

Bridgeport dominated the shots category by a 24-6 margin and Stevens made eight saves in absorbing the loss, while Purple Knights' keeper Claudia Torres made three saves to pick up the win.

The Spartans now embark on a tough stretch of seven of their next eight games on the road, starting on Saturday, September 28 with a trip to face Roberts Wesleyan College followed by another ECC tussle at NYIT on October 5. They return to Spartan Field on Tuesday, October 8, when Southern New Hampshire visits.