Ellie Palaian Sets Shutout Record, No. 6 CWRU Blanks No. 24 NYU, 2-0

10/26/2025 4:36:00 PM

Behind a record-setting performance from sophomore goalkeeper Ellie Palaian, the sixth-ranked Case Western Reserve University women's soccer team defeated 24th-ranked New York University 2-0 on Sunday afternoon at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium in Newark, New Jersey.

The Spartans improved to 13-1-2 overall and 3-1-1 in University Athletic Association contests with two league games remaining. The Violets fell to 9-4-3 this season with a 1-3-1 mark in UAA play.

Stats and Standouts

Palaian, who saved three shots in 90 minutes, set the single-season program record with her 11th shutout of the season
She lowered her goals against average to 0.44 and increased her save percentage to .841 in 2025
CWRU scored in each half, netting goals from first-year Izzy Probst and senior Alexis Sassower with an assist by senior Julia Flynn
Sophomore Kinzly Gootman and senior Ceci Dapino both had a game-high three shots, with two of Dapino's attempts on goal
Gootman, senior Mackenzie Mueller, junior Kat Tsarouhas, and first-year Mia Modrovich each did not leave the field for the entire 90 minutes of play

First Half

Sophomore Vivian Nohra, who was making her first career start, took the first shot of the contest, but missed wide right in the 23rd minute of play
The Violets earned a corner kick in the 26th minute and took their first shot in the 27th minute on a header
CWRU broke the deadlock in the 30th minute, on a goal by Probst
Sophomore Abby Welker won a tough ball at the top of the box and found Probst, who spun and fired a shot with her left foot into the bottom corner of the net
It was the fifth goal this season for Probst, who increased her point total to 18 in her debut season
With just over six minutes left in the half, Mueller received a cross in the box, but her shot was saved by the NYU goalkeeper, the first save of the game for either team
The Violets had a final chance on a corner kick with 10 seconds remaining in the half, but the hosts entered the break trialing 1-0

Second Half

The Spartans had a pair of shots early in the second half
NYU had a 1-on-1 opportunity in the 54th minute, but the shot went wide of the net
Dapino took a free kick shot from just outside the box that was saved 70 seconds later
Probst hit the post in the 69th minute, nearly doubling the team's lead with her second goal of the game, and a follow-up shot by Sassower went wide
Palaian made her first save of the day in the 72nd minute, corralling a low shot
The Spartans finally doubled their advantage in the 78th minute on the fourth goal of the season by Sassower
Flynn sent the ball into the box toward Sassower, who was unmarked on a run
The senior sent a shot into the lower right corner of the goal to make the score 2-0
Flynn was credited with her fourth assist in 2025, while the goal was the 13th of Sassower's career
Palaian made her second save in the 80th minute, diving to her right to stop a shot, and added a save on a high shot attempt five minutes later
That would be the last attempt on goal for either team, as the Spartans secured the road victory

Spartan Notes

CWRU evened the all-time series with NYU at 13-13-4, which includes being unbeaten against the Violets since 2021 (4-0-1)
The Spartans moved into a tie for second place in the conference standings, five points behind first place WashU with two league matches remaining. WashU leads the league with 15 points (5-0-0) followed by CWRU and Emory (3-1-1) with 10 points each
Case Western Reserve outshot NYU 16-10 in the game with a 6-3 advantage in shots on goal and 6-5 edge in corner kicks
CWRU has scored 56 goals this season, the second-most in a single campaign in program history. The Spartans netted 70 goals in 22 games during the 2022 campaign. Case Western Reserve has scored at least two goals in 13 of its 16 games