NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona University women's soccer team kicked off the 2026 campaign with a 3-0 shutout victory over LIU on Thursday afternoon. The Maroon & Gold capitalized on a strong two-goal opening stanza at Mazzella Field to secure the team's first season-opening win since 2018.
Senior
Marissa Graziano factored into all three goals for the Gaels, registering her second career brace and an assist for a career-high five points. Junior
Dolene Smith recorded the first goal of the season for Iona in the 20
th minute.
Graduate student
Zaheira Hegazi also assisted the opening goal and rookies
Amanda Irmscher and
Ainsley Lyon picked up their first collegiate assists on the second goal. Junior
Kayla Kalbaugh recorded her fifth career shutout in goal for the Gaels.
GAME SUMMARY
Iona dictated the pace from the opening kickoff with four shot attempts in the first 12 minutes of action.
The Gaels got rolling in the 20
th minute as Hegazi picked up the LIU goal kick in the offensive half. She dished out a centering pass to Graziano who dribbled past a defender just outside the penalty box and fired a pass out left for Smith who was charging towards the goal. The junior juked one defender and fired a deflected shot off the left post and into the back of the net to break open the scoring.
Iona kept things rolling in the 35
th minute as senior
Daija Jones intercepted the ball near the halfway line and fired a long pass to Lyon down the right side. The rookie took one touch and sent a centering pass near the penalty arc to Irmscher who found Graziano just inside the six-yard box. The senior fired a top-shelf strike past the Sharks keeper for the 2-0 advantage.
Out of the halftime break, LIU looked to counter in the 56
th minute but Kalbaugh was there to make the first save of the game.
Iona drew a free kick opportunity in the 80
th minute from about 45-yards out. Graziano stepped up and hit a booming kick that snuck in just under the crossbar and into the back of the net for her second goal of the game and 3-0 advantage.
The Sharks didn't go down quietly, firing four shots in the final 10 minutes as Kalbaugh made two more saves to secure the shutout win for Iona
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Graziano led the Gaels with a career-high five points on two goals and one assist. She scored on both of her shot attempts.
- It was Graziano's second career brace with the first also coming at Mazzella Field back on September 11, 2024 in a 6-0 win over Delaware State.
- Smith registered a team-high four shots and scored the game-winning goal, the third game winner of her career.
- Hegazi registered her second career assist while Lyon and Irmscher each recorded their first collegiate assist in their first collegiate contest.
- Kalbaugh played all 90 minutes in goal, making three saves to earn the clean sheet.
- Iona outshot LIU 9-7 and held the Sharks to just one shot in the opening half.
UP NEXT
Iona hits the road for the first time on Sunday, August 16 with a trip to Syracuse for a 1 p.m. showdown at Le Moyne.
