New Haven, Conn. – The Albertus Magnus women's soccer team raced past visiting Anna Maria, 5-0, in GNAC action on Saturday afternoon at Celentano Field. The Falcons earned their first win of the fall to improve to 1-1-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while the AmCats moved to 2-2 on the year and 0-1 in league tilts.
After a scoreless first half, the Albertus offense erupted for five markers over the final 45 minutes. Sophomore midfielder Victoria Lavery (West Haven, Conn.) continued her strong start to year with the first goal of the contest in the 53rd minute. Lavery's strike was her second of the season and it proved to be the eventual game-winner as she has now registered at least one point in all three of the Falcons games this autumn. Senior forward Acacia Nelson (Bridgeport, Conn.) set the play up beautifully with a perfect cross into the box that Lavery headed home.
Seven minutes later, sophomore midfielder Amanda Montano (North Haven, Conn.) gave Albertus a 2-0 cushion with her first collegiate tally. Sophomore midfielder Angelina Piccirillo (Naugatuck, Conn.) took a shot from just inside the top of the box that was turned aside as Montano collected the rebound and buried the shot. The helper was the first of two on the day for Piccirillo.
In the 66th minute, junior Bridget Judd (Branford, Conn.) scored to give the Falcons a 3-0 advantage. Piccirillo took a corner and after the ball bounced through traffic, Judd slammed it home with her right foot. The goal was Judd's first of the season and the second of her 29-game career.
Freshman Taylor Bisaillon (Columbia, Conn.) netted her first collegiate strike in the 71st minute as Albertus built its lead to 4-0. Sophomore Alexya Alves (Naugatuck, Conn.) earned her first point as a member of the Falcons with the assist on Bisaillon's marker.
Late in the contest, sophomore Morgan Gigliotti (Wolcott, Conn.) capped the scoring in the game. Gigliotti collected a through ball from classmate Bianca Stefanacci (Milford, Conn.) and beat Anna Maria netminder Ashlee Jarominski in the 86th minute.
Albertus held an impressive 44-1 advantage in shots and took 18 corners to none for the AmCats.
In net, senior goalkeeper Maria Case (West Haven, Conn.) did not face a shot in 75 minutes of action to earn the victory for the Falcons, while freshman Lexie Fenn (Oakville, Conn.) saw his first collegiate action for the team over the final 15 minutes of regulation. On the opposite end, sophomore Ashlee Jarominski turned aside 19 shots in a losing effort for Anna Maria.
Albertus wraps up a weekend of home action tomorrow, September 13, with a non-conference clash versus Wesleyan at 1:00 p.m.
