NEWPORT, R.I. (October 7, 2026) -- Senior defender
Madelyn Popilek ( Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) stepped up as a target on corner kicks and capitalized on one in the 55th minute for the only goal in a battle of New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) unbeaten teams between fifth-ranked Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Salve Regina University. The Engineer 1-0 victory ends the Seahawk win streak at five games and an unbeaten string stops at seven games.
MIT (10-2-1, 4-0-0 NEWMAC) dominated in corner kick opportunities, 7-to-0. Salve Regina (6-2-3, 3-1-0 NEWMAC) had twice this season had held an opponent without a corner kick opportunity, but had yet to go without one in their first nine games.
For starters, Popilek led the Engineers with four shots including two on frame. Those two came in succession off the corner kick delivered by classmate
Maddie Seabeck (San Antonio, Texas) as Popilek had the first touch with a header, stopped by
Sabrina Lawless (Milford, Conn.), before knocking in her third goal of the season.
Both of Salve Regina's losses in 2026 have been shutouts -- 4-0 at Connecticut College on September 7, and today at home on Reynolds Field.
The Seahawks followed that defeat to the Camels with a pair of 1-1 draws (at Gordon on Sept. 9, and their first home game of the season against Roger Williams the next Wednesday). After that, three straight shutouts where they outscored the opposition, 13-0, and then a pair of 4-1 victories.
Mya Ranieri (Braintree, Mass.) led the Seahawks with two shots including one on net.
Taryn Overstreet (Windsor, Conn.) also came off the bench for a shot on goal in the first half while starting back
Maddie Hudson (Nahant, Mass.) had the only Seahawk shot on goal in the second half.
Lawless finished with five saves for the Seahawks while her counterpart
Maddy Noll ( Northbrook, Ill.) stopped all three shots she faced. Hudson and her fellow back line mates --
Ellie Snoke (Nashua, N.H.),
Eilish McGowan (Wrentham, Mass.), and
Allie Gallagher (Staten Island, N.Y.) -- played the full 90 minutes for the Seahawks.
Salve Regina will host Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) on Saturday at noon on
FloCollege for Senior Day. Seahawks will recognize
Lily Chhun (Windham, N.H.),
Ava DeSimone (Mashpee, Mass.),
Lana DiIuro (East Greenwich, R.I.),
Harper Foscaldo (Medfield, Mass.),
Allie Gallagher (Staten Island, N.Y.),
Sydney Giampapa (Shrewsbury, Mass.),
Sabrina Lawless (Milford, Conn.),
Carah Leclair (Bellingham, Mass.),
Sophie Mulligan (Portsmouth, R.I.),
Olivia Tacconi (Waldwick, N.J.), along with graduate student
Maddie Hudson (Nahant, Mass.).
