WELLESLEY, Mass. - Freshman Deyanira Ibarra (Los Olivos, Calif.), junior Melise Knowles (Diablo, Calif.) and senior Maddie Colborg (Burbank, Calif.) notched goals for Wellesley as the Emerson women's soccer team fell 3-1 in its first NEWMAC matchup of the 2016 season on Saturday afternoon. 

With the win, Wellesley improves to 3-2 as Emerson drops to 2-4. 

A mere five minutes into the first half,  sophomore Paige Haley (San Diego, Calif.) deposited her fourth goal of the season to put the Lions on top 1-0 (4:54). The Blue joined the scoring mix and squared the game 1-all eight minutes later on an unassisted net from Knowles (15:02). 15 minutes after the Blue netted the equalizer, freshman Julia Jung (Oakland, Calif.) set up Ibarra and buried her first goal of the season to put them on top 2-1 (30:33). 

Despite the one goal deficit at the end of the first half, Emerson outshot Wellesley 13-5. 

After nine minutes of play went by in the second half, Emerson found themselves in a two-goal hole thanks to a 49th minute net from Colborg with the score now at 3-1. Emerson outshot Wellesley 10-4 through the final 45 minutes, but none of those shots registered for goals as Wellesley freshman goalie Erin Kelly (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) locked down the Blue's 3-1 victory over the Lions. 

Haley led the Lions with a goal and took a total of 11 shots, while sophomore Jess Frost (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.) and freshman Chiara Bernardi (Santa Barbara, Calif.) followed up four shots a piece. Senior Melanie Escobar (Torrington, Conn.) took the loss and allowed three goals before freshman Hannah Hodge (Gainesville, Ga.) came in for relief and saved one shot. 

Ibarra, Knowles and Colborg all tallied goals for the Blue and Jung registered one assist for Wellesley. Freshman Olivia Reckley (Grosse Ille, Mich.) and Kelly split time in the net for the Blue. Reckley earned the win for the Blue and saved four shots and allowed one goal, while Kelly saved all three shots that came her way.

Both Emerson and Wellesley return to the field on Tuesday. The Lions head to Lesley for the 5th Annual Charles River Cup slated for an 8:00 p.m. start, while the Blue play host is Lasell at 4:00 p.m.