BUFFALO, N.Y. — D'Youville (1-0-0) opened the season with a 1-0 win over West Liberty (0-1-0) Thursday at Dobson Field, riding a first-half goal to the program's first victory of the 2026 campaign.
The Saints came out sharp and didn't need long to find the back of the net. In the 7th minute, Kayla Frasca buried the eventual game-winner off an assist from Sophia Menezes to put D'Youville on top. West Liberty pushed for an answer the rest of the half, but goalkeeper Amanda Kit came up with the saves needed to keep the clean sheet intact, and the Saints carried their 1-0 edge into the break.
D'Youville kept its composure in the second half, holding West Liberty off the board despite a full 45 minutes of pressure. Gabrielle Giesing stayed busy on the attacking end, firing off multiple shots, including one in the 59th minute that West Liberty keeper Kaisa Vale turned away. At the other end, Kit came up big once again, denying Kylie Collins in the 81st minute to preserve the shutout. The Saints closed it out from there for the 1-0 final.
Frasca's first-half strike stood up as the game-winner in her season debut, while Kit turned in a three-save shutout in goal. Giesing paced the offense with five shots, two of which were on frame, and Menezes picked up the assist on the game's only goal.
D'Youville hits the road next, traveling to Pepper Pike, Ohio, for a matchup with Ursuline College on Saturday, August 29th.
