The New York University women's soccer team defeated Vassar College 1-0 in its 2016 home opener on Saturday, September 3, at Gaelic Park in Riverdale, NY.

The game remained deadlocked at 0-0 until junior Steph Ho scored the winner at 82:02. Freshman Alex Benedict blasted a 40-yard free kick off the crossbar and after a scramble in the box, the midfielder tapped the rebound into the net.

"After the first half, we knew we needed to step up our performance," said Head Coach Michele Canning. "The girls did a really good job in the second half and we ultimately found a way to score."

HIGHLIGHTS:

- Senior goalkeeper Cassie Steinberg kept the Violets in the game with nine saves, including six in the second half. It was Steinberg's second consecutive shutout to start the season.

- Benedict led all players with five shots, including two on goal. She also was credited with the assist on Ho's goal.

- NYU outshot its opponents 17-12 and recorded 11 second-half shots to Vassar's six.

The Violets return to action on Saturday, September 10, when they will take on Massachusetts Institute of Technology at 3:30 pm on the campus of Stevens Tech in Hoboken, NJ.