NEW BRITIAN, Conn. – On a rain-soaked pitch, the Fairfield University Women's Soccer team needed just one first half goal and relied on their defense the rest of the way as the Stags took a 1-0 decision over Central Connecticut State in their first road match of the 2024 season. Freshman Ashlyn Walsh tallied her second game-winning goal of the week while goalkeeper Katie Wright recorded her 12th career shutout with four saves, including a diving stop in the final minute of the contest. With the win, the Stags improve to 2-0 on the year.
 
"I thought it was a very solid road performance," Head Coach David Barrett said. "The conditions in the first half were rough but I thought we were really good and created a number of good chances. We are still trying a few different personnel combinations but overall happy to be 2-0!"
 
Fairfield's lone goal came in the 33rd minute as Walsh flicked in a corner kick from Allie Kirby past the Blue Devils' keeper to open the scoring. Kirby sent a right-footed service into the box which a Central Connecticut defender attempted to clear. The attempted clearance was blocked by Anya Moser and the ball stayed alive allowing Walsh to leap and get her right foot on the shot. It was the second goal for the freshman in her first collegiate week, both scores being game-winners.
 
Reagan Klarmann set up the opportunity when her shot was hit out of play by the Central Connecticut netminder, forcing the corner kick. Klarmann would finish the contest with three shots, all of which forcing a save.
 
The Fairfield defense would lock down the reigning NEC Champions in the contest, surrendering just eight shots with four of those on target. Wright needed four saves to clinch her 12th career shutout, with her biggest save coming in the final minute. Central Connecticut's Abbie Burgess found herself open near the top of the box and sent the would-be equalizer to the bottom right of the net, but Wright fully extended and then chased down the rebound to keep the Stags ahead.
 
The Stags out-shot their opposition for the second-straight match holding a 20-8 clip against the NEC Preseason favorites. Fairfield forced 10 saves from Central Connecticut's Melina Ford, including back-to-back stops in the 77th minute against Meghan Carragher and Dana Nadda.
 
Fairfield will stay on the road for their longest trek of the season when they travel to College Station to face preseason nationally-ranked Texas A&M on Saturday night at 8pm EST.