BABSON PARK, Mass.—Junior Olivia Kerester (Chappaqua, N.Y.) scored in the first minute and sophomoreKelsey Ford (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) added a penalty kick in the 65th minute as Babson College edged visiting Emerson College, 2-1, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's soccer action on Tuesday afternoon at Hartwell-Rogers Field.

Babson (12-2-3, 5-0-3 NEWMAC), which is ranked fourth in the latest NSCAA New England poll, has won six consecutive games and is unbeaten in its last eight matches. Emerson, which has dropped five of its last seven contests, falls to 9-5-1 overall and 1-5-1 in conference play.

Ford also had an assist for the Beavers, who got one save from first-year goalkeeper Elizabeth Mycock(Windham, Maine).

Kerester's team-leading eighth goal came just 39 seconds into the match as she took a cross from Ford and volleyed her finish into the upper left corner for a 1-0 lead. Ford extended the advantage for the Green and White just over 20 minutes into the second half. Her shot from the middle of the box was deflected by the arm of a Lions defender and she calmly buried the penalty kick for her third marker of the season.

Emerson came right back with its best offensive pressure of the day, cutting the deficit in half on a goal by graduate student Alexandra Dezenzo (Randolph, N.J.) at the 69:12 mark. After playing a short corner kick, she took a pass from sophomore Alexandra Levin (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) and  rifled a low shot through traffic for her 11th marker of the year.

The Lions nearly tied the game just over a minute later, but first-year Elizabeth Noble's (Long Beach, Calif.) free kick from the edge of the box hit the underside of the crossbar and was cleared out of danger.

Emerson junior goalkeeper Melanie Escobar (Torrington, Conn.) finished with five saves.

Each team recorded 13 shots and the Lions attempted five of the game's six corner kicks.