WORCESTER, Mass. -- Sophomore midfielder Kirsten Mortelliti (Hammonton, N.J.) knocked home a header in the 82nd minute to break a 1-1 tie and lift Felician College to a 2-1 non-conference women's soccer victory over host Assumption College on Saturday afternoon at the Multi-Sport Stadium. The match marked the 2012 season opener for both schools.

Felician took the lead in the 28th minute on the first collegiate goal for freshman midfielder Macki Groves (Millville, N.J.), and carried the 1-0 advantage into halftme. But the Greyhounds kept the offensive pressure up for the entire afternoon, eventually amassing a 25-6 advantage in shots. They finally broke through with 14:38 remaining in regulation when Paige Radomski scored on a rebound.

On the eventual game-winner, sophomore Jordan Farley (Brick, N.J.) served a ball from the right flank diagonally to the far post. The 5-foot-8 Mortelliti outjumped both a teammate and Assumption goalkeeper Allison Bruder to get a head on the ball. As all three players crashed to the turf, the ball trickled across the goal line with 8:23 to play. Mortelliti was in her first game  returning after a medical redshirt season in 2011.

Felician keeper Allie Couzo (Sayreville, N.J.) preserved the victory with two saves in the final eight minutes and finished with 12 on the day. Bruder made four saves for the hosts.

The win marked the second consecutive season that Felician opened with a road victory over a Northeast-10 Conference opponent. The Golden Falcons defeated Saint Anselm College, 1-0, in Manchester, N.H., to kick off 2011.