SCHENECTADY, NY – Senior midfielder Keri Messa (Saratoga Springs, NY) scored two goals with two assists, and four other players also scored twice as #11 Union opened Liberty League play with an 18-6 win over Clarkson at Frank Bailey Field Friday afternoon. The Dutchwomen are 4-0 (1-0 in league) while the Golden Knights fell to 0-4 overall and 0-1 in the league.
The Dutchwomen got two goals each from Kristin Joyce (Longmeadow, MA), Abbey Runner (Stanley, NY), Jill LaForest (Acton, MA) and Shelby Cutter (Needham, MA) in the triumph, the third win of the week that featured a pair of wins in Florida over ranked teams. Abbey Stohler (West Hartford, CT) added two assists and a score, while Union got single goals by Chelsea Charette (South Hadley, MA), Emily Bryson (Charletown, MA), Keelin Skurek (Massillon, OH), Caitlin Cuozzo (Norfolk, MA), Allie Cuozzo (Norfolk, MA) Erin Lawson (Flourtown, PA) and Casey Dianni (Rye, NY).
Joyce, a freshman, now has 11 goals in the first four games of her Union career. Messa also had six ground balls and three caused turnovers, while Dianni had four shots on goal.
The Dutchwomen are outscoring opponents, 60-27 on the year, and outshooting the opposition, 121-85 on the year. Union has now won 10 of the last 11 regular season games. This is the best start for the Dutchwomen since the 2001 team was 4-0 en route to a 14-2 season. The best start in history came in 1986, when the Dutchwomen won five straight and were 5-0-1 after the first six games.
Clarkson featured four goals and a game high seven shots from sophomore midfielder Kimberly Loucks (Waterloo, NY) and single tallies from Emily Bojarski (Syracuse, NY) and Alicia Chace (Cortland, NY).
Union goaltender Melissa McDonald (Lynnfield, MA) made seven stops on the day, while Megan Emlaw made 12 stops in the Golden Knights' nets. Union had a 28-19 ground ball advantage and outshot Clarkson, 36-18. The Dutchwomen won 15 of the 26 draw controls. The Dutchwomen jumped out to a commanding 12-1 lead by halftime, scoring the first 11 goals of the contest. Union notched six goals in the first 7:13 of the first stanza.
The Dutchwomen host St. Lawrence Saturday at 4 p.m. while Clarkson plays at league foe Skidmore Saturday at 2 p.m.
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