Women's Soccer | 10/18/2014 3:02:00 PM

Box | Updated stats
HOBOKEN, N.J. -- Junior Briana Vibbard scored her team-leading sixth goal of the season just 1:28 into the game Saturday and that tally held up the rest of the way as visiting Nazareth gained a key Empire 8 women's soccer victory, 1-0, over Stevens.

Nazareth improved to 10-3-1 overall and 5-1 in Empire 8 action. Stevens dropped to 9-5 overall and 4-2 in conference games. Nazareth is tied for first place in the E8 with Ithaca (10-2 overall, 6-1 E8), a 2-0 winner over St. John Fisher Saturday. The Bombers hold the tiebreaker advantage of Nazareth by virtue of their 2-1 overtime win over the Golden Flyers last Sunday. Nazareth has two more conference games remaining -- at home Tuesday against Alfred at 7 p.m. on the artificial turf field and Saturday at home against Utica at 1 p.m. Ithaca has just one conference game left -- next Saturday at home against Hartwick.

Saturday's hard-fought win marked the 18th time in the last 20 seasons that the Golden Flyers have amassed double digit wins in women's soccer. In winning, Nazareth overcame a 13-5 disadvantage in shots. The one that mattered most came off the foot of Vibbard in the second minute of play. A cross by Danielle Wilkin landed on the foot of Michaela Soules, who one-touched a pass to Vibbard, who finished the play by hitting a shot past Stevens keeper Lindsey Mahnken. Soules' assist was her team-leading eighth of the season. She also has four goals for a team-best 16 points.

Stevens had at least three good chances to tie the score. Separate first-half shots by Raba Nassif deflected off the cross bar and goal post respectively. The first attempt came in the 29th minute, the second in the 34th minute. In the second half, Stevens' Ann Heine had a chance, but her shot was saved by Nazareth keeper Allison Dobles and then deflected off the cross bar.

Dobles played the first 27 minutes of the first half, but was shaken up and replaced by Mackenzie Dunphy, who played the final 17:51 of the half. Dobles returned to the game to start the second half and played the rest of the way. The duo combined for five saves in the team's sixth shutout of the season. Mahnken made two saves for the Ducks.