DURHAM — Freshman Meghan Guarente (Sewell, N.J.) recorded a goal and an assist and senior Cat Sheppard (Nesconset, N.Y.) stopped all four shots on goal to lead the University of New Hampshire women’s soccer team to Thursday night’s 3-0 win against Merrimack College at Wildcat Stadium. It was the season opener for both teams.

Sheppard recorded three saves in the first half and one in the second for her ninth career clean sheet.

Freshman Abbie Burgess (Killingly, Conn.) scored the first goal of the 2021 season in the sixth minute and that proved to be the game-winning tally.

Merrimack goalkeeper Claire DeFlora was credited with 10 saves.

Burgess gave New Hampshire a 1-0 lead at 5:43 when she drove a low, right-footed shot from just outside the top-right of the penalty area inside the left post. Guarente and Mayer were credited with assists.

Sheppard made her first save of the night by denying Rebecca Harty in the 13th minutes.

Guarente extended the advantage to 2-0 at 31:46 when she collected a pass at the top of the box, turned to her left to beat the defender and curled a shot inside the left post. Sophomore Alivia Kelly (Pembroke, Mass.) set up the goal with a diagonal pass from 10 yards outside the top-right of the penalty box.

UNH took a 3-0 lead at 47:07 – just two minutes into the second half – when a Merrimack defender inadvertently headed the ball back into the upper-right corner from six yards.

A tremendous effort by sophomore Emily Bini (Guilderland, N.Y.) set up that tally. Bini’s pressure in the right corner forced a turnover, and it was her centering pass that was played into the goal.

New Hampshire recorded a 17-11 shot advantage that included a 12-4 edge in shots on goal.UNH finished with a 4-3 edge in corner kicks. Both teams had three in the second half.