OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. - Junior midfielder Alexis Koral netted a pair of goals to lead the Daemen College women's soccer team to a 2-0 shutout victory over host N.Y. Institute of Technology in an East Coast Conference contest held at President's Stadium today.

Koral put the Wildcats on the board at the 17:10 mark of the first half after she intercepted an NYIT pass, beat a defender, and launched a high, driving shot from 30 yards out which made its way over the head of NYIT goalkeeper Brianna Bolletieri and under the crossbar.  It marked the eighth time in 15 games this season the Daemen has scored the first goal of the game.

Koral would go on to add her second goal of the game on a similar shot, this one from 25 yards out, at the 67:33 mark.  It marked Koral's second multi-goal game this season, as she's totaled 12 points (five goals, two assists) to rank second on the team.  She becomes the first Daemen player to record two multi-goal games in the same season since former Wildcats Kacey Bougard (East Aurora, N.Y./Sacred Heart) and Samantha Engel (Dryden, N.Y./Dryden) each did so in 2013.

The two markers from Koral would be all Daemen needed to keep the host Bears at bay.  Freshman goalkeeper Meaghan O'Leary (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) made five saves, including one of highlight-reel quality in the second half, to preserve her fourth shutout of the season, three of which have come in ECC play.  As a team, Daemen has now pitched six shutouts this season, and the Wildcats have allowed just five goals in their six ECC games.  The defensive quartet of senior Meghan Lipinoga (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Canisus College), sophomore Rose Carboni (Endicott, N.Y./Union Endicott) and freshman Alex Valenti (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence) and Monique Green (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville South) were stout in front of O'Leary again today.

The win, Daemen's third-straight, pushes the Wildcats to 6-8-1 overall, and an even 3-3-0 in league play.  With nine points now in ECC play, Daemen leap-frogged three teams in the ECC standings into a fourth-place tie with Molloy College.  That puts Daemen squarely in contention for a berth in the ECC Tournament with three regular season games still remaining.  The ECC Tournament, slated to begin on November 5, will feature the top four teams in the final league standings.

With their third-straight shutout, Daemen has now not surrendered a goal in over 275 minutes of action.  Today's result also puts Daemen on its first winning streak of at least three games since closing the 2012 season with five consecutive victories.

The loss this afternoon keeps NYIT (5-8-1, 0-6-0 ECC) searching for its first league win of the season.  It also knots the all-time series between Daemen and NYIT at 2-2.  It was Daemen's first win in the series since their inaugural meeting, a 3-2 victory in Old Westbury on October 14, 2012.

Today's win sets the stage for a key ECC matchup with host Long Island University Post later this weekend (Sunday, October 25, 12 p.m.).  The Pioneers, who won the 2014 ECC regular season title and were picked first in the ECC preseason poll this season, currently sit in fifth place with a 2-1-2 mark in ECC play, although their 10-2-2 overall record has them ranked No. 4 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) East Region poll.