Robert Morris rolls to 7-1 victory to remain unbeaten

Photo courtesy Robert Morris University athletics

From Robert Morris University Athletics Department report

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, the Robert Morris University women’s soccer team defeated Hampton in dominant fashion with a 7-1 victory at the North Athletic Complex.

With the victory, the Colonials stay unbeaten as they improve to 3-0-2 overall, while the Lady Pirates fall to 1-4-0 this season. Robert Morris scored the fourth most goals in a game in program history, while scoring the most since 2002 when the Colonials tallied eight against Youngstown State.

“I was very pleased with our performance today. I thought we got off to a slow start but we made a few substitutions who made an immediate impact,” head coach Chris Shaw said. “It’s great to have a bench with players that can come in and change the game and that’s what we got today.”

In the first half, Robert Morris recorded four goals in a four-minute span. After a Hampton foul inside the box, freshman Elisa Corvalan recorded her second goal of the season after converting a penalty kick, to give the Colonials a 1-0 lead in the 25′. Less than two minutes later, Robert Morris extended its lead when senior Gabriella Lecuona put a cross into the box and Paloma Swankler found the right side of the net for her first collegiate goal.

The Colonials took a 3-0 advantage at the 28:13-mark when Lecuona took a shot from the top of the box and beat the keeper to the top right corner of the net. Just 45 seconds later, Lecuona placed a shot inside the box that was redirected by Swankler, who gave the Colonials a 4-0 lead and her second goal of the game. Robert Morris registered 10 shots, seven of them on goal in the first half.

The Colonials picked up where they left off in the second half when redshirt freshman Morgan Guelas took a corner kick from Malia Kearns and found graduate student Chelsea Kingston to give Robert Morris a 5-0 advantage. At the 55:42-mark, freshman Renae Mohrbacher dribbled up the right side and delivered a pass to Kearns, who placed a shot to the right corner of the net, 6-0. In the 69′ minute, the Lady Pirates committed a foul inside the box which led to senior Angela Van Damia converting the penalty kick and extending the Colonial lead to 7-0.

Hampton was able to avoid the shutout in the 89′ when Nyle Nwainokpor found the right side of the net.

SCORING PLAYS
25′ – Corvalan – Penalty Kick
27′ – Swankler, Assist: Lecuona
29′ – Lecuona
29′ – Swankler, Assist: Lecuona
49′ – Kingston, Assists: Guelas, Kearns
56′ – Kearns, Assist: Mohrbacher
69′ – Van Damia – Penalty Kick
89′ – Nwainokpor

QUICK HITS
RMU scores most goals since 2002 … Six different Colonials scored a goal … Four different players tallied an assist … Swankler, Van Damia, and Kearns all recorded their first NCAA goal … Lecuona tallied her second career goal-assist game … Colonials finished with a 21-6 shot advantage, including a 15-2 edge in shots on goal … RMU held a 7-3 lead in corner kicks.

NEXT
The Colonials are back in action on Thursday, September 8, when they host Delaware State at the North Athletic Complex, beginning at 2 p.m.