WORCESTER, Mass. - Four different players registered goals as host WPI opened the 2011 women's soccer campaign with a 4-2 triumph over Salve Regina on Thursday evening. The win was the first opening-game victory for the Engineers since 2008 and also snapped a two-game losing streak versus the Seahawks.

Salve Regina wasted no time finding the scoring column as Britt Blanchette (Hope, R.I.) played a long ball up the left side to Erin McCullough (Ludlow, Mass.) who streaked down the field and the tucked the ball inside the far post just 1:46 into the contest.

WPI answered back in the 12th minute when sophomore Kelly Ames (Glastonbury, Conn.) buried a feed from classmate Courtney Langley (Fairfield, Maine) for her first career marker. Megan Forti (Lynn, Mass.) gave the Engineers a lead they would not relinquish in the 39th minute when she scored on a breakaway from just past midfield.  It was the 14th career goal for the 2010 NEWMAC and ECAC New England Rookie of the Year.

The Engineers extended their lead early in the second half when Langley knocked home a loose ball at 48:46.  Salve Regina cut the deficit to 3-2 when Jackie Lee (North Reading, Mass.) floated home a goal following a pass by Kaitlyn Birrell (Hope, R.I.) at 53:30.  WPI got a key insurance goal just 6:12 later as Hailey Taylor (Colusa, Calif.) knocked home a Forti corner kick to close out the scoring. 

Maddie Willer (Penfield, N.Y.) turned away four shots to earn the win in net for the Crimson and Gray.  Jessica Lane (Marshfield, Mass.) made one save for the Seahawks during the first 84 minutes while Kathleen Roche (Boston, Mass.) was not called upon to make a save during the final six minutes of play. 

The match saw SRU hold a slight 12-10 edge in shots while each team attempted three corner kicks.

WPI hits the road for the first time in 2011 on Saturday with a 3pm road date at Salem State.  Salve Regina participates this weekend in a tournament in Oneonta, N.Y.  The Seahawks face Utica on Saturday at 4 p.m., before playing host Hartwick at 1 p.m. on Sunday.