Schenectady, NY (Sept. 23, 2005) The No. 12 Union women's soccer team opened up Liberty League play with a 8-1 win over Rensselaer (1-4-1, 0-1) in women's soccer action Friday afternoon at Garris Field. The Dutchwomen got a pair of goals from Marissa Van Woeart (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) and Cassandra Mariani (Boonton, NJ/Morris Catholic) as they extended their unbeaten streak to seven games and improved to 6-0-1 on the season.

Van Woeart got things going for the Dutchwomen by scoring the first two goals of the game less than four minutes apart from each other. Her first came in the 12^th minute with a header into the back of the net off a corner kick from Molly Flanagan (Simsbury, CT/Loomis Chaffee). The second came in the 16^th minute when she sailed in a shot to the inside of the upper left post. Mariani got the ball just outside the penalty box from Chelsea Hargis (East Lyme, CT/East Lyme). The senior settled the ball in the middle of the field for Van Woeart who came running in and chipped it into the upper corner for the game-winner.

Mariani scored a goal in the first and second half for Union. Her first came in the 34^th minute to make it 4-0. The ball deflected down off the crossbar after Amy Bell (Marblehead, MA/Marblehead) sent it in off a free kick. Mariani was left unmarked in front of the goal to tuck it away into the left corner. She made it 6-0 in the 57^th minute, firing a shot on goal that ricocheted off a Rensselaer defender and past goaltender Jackie Gabriele (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa), who finished with five saves in the game after replacing Tara Marandino (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) to start the second half. Marandino made one save.  

The Red Hawks continued to battle and were able to negate the shutout in the 66^th minute when Sarah Hinz (Swanzey, NH/Monadnock) scored her second goal of the season. Hinz received the ball from Kristy Kolb (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia) just past midfield and dribbled down the right side. Once inside the penalty area she got past three Union defenders and tucked the ball inside the near post past Julie Gawronski (Dunkirk, NY/Dunkirk). That would be the lone shot of the game for Rensselaer as Union finished with a 28-1 advantage. Kaitlin Graham (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) split time in goal with Gawronski to share the win.  

Ashley Brown (Plainville, CT/Suffield Academy) wrapped up the scoring in the 86^th minute for her fourth goal of the season following a tally by Corinne Simisky (Shrewsbury, MA/Shrewsbury) in the 80^th minute.

Union continues its homestand tomorrow when they host Vassar at 2:00 p.m. Rensselaer travels to Skidmore for a 2:00 p.m. contest as well.