Antonia Linus scored with just under eight minutes left, breaking a 1-1 tie as the Chestnut Hill College Women's soccer team hung on for a 2-1 victory in their season opener over Saint Thomas Aquinas College Tuesday evening at Victory Field in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania.

The Griffins unbeaten streak against the Spartans improves to five games (4-0-1)  and Chestnut Hill starts off their 2023 campaign at 1-0.  The Spartans fall to 0-2.

Linus' goal came while the Griffins were playing a man-down, losing a player to a red card just ten minutes into the second half.   Alyssa DeGeorge received a long pass in near corner and fired a cross pass that the Spartan defenders could not block right onto the foot of Linus who put it past STAC goalkeeper Catalena Robson for the go-ahead goal in the 83^rd minute. 

STAC's only score was similar as Jasmine Blue fired a cross pass to Sarai Rodriguez in the 68^th minute, with Rodriguez pushing it past CHC goalkeeper Ellie Stratz, tying the game at 1-1

Elisabeth Stokes produced the Griffins first goal of the game and the season at the 23:34 mark of the first half, working the ball past Spartan defenders on the left side and earning enough space to push it past the STAC 'keeper for the early Griffins lead.

Stratz earned her first collegiate win, stopping four of five shots on goal.  Robson took the loss for the Spartans. Chestnut Hill outshot STAC 14-9 (9-5 on goal) while both teams produced three corner kicks.

The Chestnut Hill College Women's Soccer team returns to action on Saturday, September 9, 2023, when they travel to face Roberts Wesleyan university in Rochester New York.  Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM.