Salve Regina University

NEWPORT, R.I. (October 10, 2026) -- It started with a sophomore and ended with a senior. On Senior Day for Salve Regina University women's soccer the Seahawks celebrated their 10 members of the Class of 2027, and it was senior Allie Gallagher (Staten Island, N.Y.) who delivered the game-winning goal in the 85th minute to down Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 2-1, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Reynolds Field in Newport, Rhode Island, on Saturday afternoon.

Salve Regina (7-2-3, 4-1-0 NEWMAC) wins for just the seventh time in 20 meetings with WPI (5-5-2, 2-1-2 NEWMAC), and the first time as fellow league members.

The Seahawks recognized Gallagher and her classmates -- recognize Lily Chhun (Windham, N.H.), Ava DeSimone (Mashpee, Mass.), Lana DiIuro (East Greenwich, R.I.), Harper Foscaldo (Medfield, Mass.), Sydney Giampapa (Shrewsbury, Mass.), Sabrina Lawless (Milford, Conn.), Carah Leclair (Bellingham, Mass.), Sophie Mulligan (Portsmouth, R.I.), Olivia Tacconi (Waldwick, N.J.) -- along with their families prior to today's contest.

Engineer senior Jess English (Ledyard, Conn.) struck a long-distance free kick that took a high bounce and caught the Seahawks flat-footed to get WPI on the board in the first half. Salve Regina had been controlling the action but had nothing to show for it.

Well past the midway point in the second half, sophomore Alexandra Epright (Middletown, Conn.) caught up to a loose ball and deposited it in the goal to tie the game at 1-1. In the 85th minute, Carah Leclair carried the ball down the right side in front of her team's bench and made a cross that connected with Olivia Tacconi whose shot got redirected and a crashing Gallagher cleaned it up for the game-winner.

WPI pushed a handful of opportunities in the final five minutes towards Sabrina Lawless but the senior netminder made one of her six saves on the game and another Engineer shot went wide right.

Ayla Verheul ( Naarden, The Netherlands) made 10 stops between the posts for the visitors. The hosts had 11 more shots (28-to-17) including a 12-to-7 advantage on frame. Salve Regina had the edge in corner kick opportunities, 5-to-3.

UP NEXT
Both teams are regionally ranked and back in action on Wednesday, October 14, on the road. No. 7 WPI travels to Wellesley, Massachusetts, to play against Wellesley College in NEWMAC action (3 p.m.), while No. 6 Salve Regina will be nearby at Babson College (3:30 p.m.). Both contests are on FloCollege.