LOUDONVILLE, NY – Another day, another shutout, and three new program records to boot. Siena Women's Soccer established a new program benchmark with a sixth straight shutout to defeat Manhattan 1-0 in the first conference match in the newly renamed Metro Conference.
Siena (5-1-1, 1-0) – which entered the day tied for the national lead in shutouts – broke the previous program benchmark for consecutive clean sheets set just last fall to end the 2025 regular season. The Saints – which have blanked the opposition 11 times in their past 13 matches dating back to last fall – also surpassed the program shutout streak of 538:19 set during that run late last season.
Meanwhile the quarterback of the superlative Siena defense
Cate Burns – who began play leading the country in shutouts – made four saves to build upon her individual program record for consecutive clean sheets set Wednesday. Burns also established a new program individual record shutout streak – breaking the previous mark of 513:27 set by Taylor Dorado in 2018 – while the junior also drew even with Dorado for the Saints all-time lead with her 21
st career shutout.
Anna Swyers provided the offensive spark in the 16
th minute for Siena, firing home the rebound from a
Briana Neary attempt for the Saints, who are off to the program's best seven-match start since beginning the Spring 2021 COVID MAAC Championship season 6-0-1.
Both Siena and Manhattan (3-2, 0-1) each had an additional goal apiece called off during an entertaining first half due to a foul and hand ball, respectively.
But the defenses clamped down in the second half as the Saints held on to kick off their 35
th conference season on a high note. Siena quieted the Metro-leading Jaspers offense – which entered play leading the conference in scoring (2.25), shots (21.0), and corners (7.3) – as the Saints are now unbeaten in 18 of their last 20 matches (13-2-5) on Hickey Field.
The Jaspers held a 10-9 margin in shots and a 6-2 advantage in corners. Margaret Brunk made three saves for Manhattan.
Siena will look to keep the momentum going when they head to Rider for Metro matchup next Saturday at 1 p.m. in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.
