Lebanon Valley 5, Lycoming 1

LVC Starters
Strickler (GK), Ross, Scott, Swope, Santoleri, Evitts, Longenecker, Kleeschulte, Cohen, Shutt, Dungan

Lyco Starters
Welliver (GK), Flemming, Edwards, Franco, Lazarich, Gessner, Rinaldo, Whitman, Marvin, McConnell, Sarracco

How It Happened
ANNVILLE, Pa. – Meghan Ross netted a hat trick and guided Lebanon Valley's women's soccer team to a dominant 5-1 win over Lycoming in the Dutchmen's conference opener on Wednesday afternoon. LVC improved to 5-1-3, 1-0 MAC Commonwealth, while the Warriors dropped to 3-7-1, 0-2 MAC Commonwealth.

It was a struggle for both teams offensively in the early going, however LVC saw more scoring chances but had nothing to show for it. In the 33rd minute, the Dutchmen finally broke the 0-0 tie when Emmie Santoleri's long pass created a breakaway for Rileigh Jo Evitts and the junior knocked it home to put LVC ahead 1-0. That narrow lead stuck heading into halftime.

The Dutchmen broke the game wide open in the second half, beginning just 2:43 into the half when Teanna Shutt delivered a pass to Meghan Ross and she beat Lycoming's keeper to make it a 2-0 contest. Just eight minutes later, LVC scored another when Emma Strickler's goal kick bounced in the middle of the field and Evitts went to goal and scored her second of the game for the 3-0 lead.

12 minutes later, in the 68th minute, Shutt ran down the left side and served a ball into the middle where Ross was and the senior found the back of the net for the 4-0 LVC advantage. Four minutes later, Ross completed the hat trick after a scrum in front created a scoring chance that Ross took advantage of. The Warriors got one back in the 80th minute, but the game was already out of reach by then and the Dutchmen went on to cruise to the 5-1 victory.

Inside the Numbers
 - Ross finished with three goals on six shots.
 - Evitts ended with two goals on seven shots.
 - Shutt recorded two assists in the win for LVC.
 - Madi McConnell scored Lycoming's lone goal off of a free kick from just outside the box.
 - The Dutchmen dominated in all facets of the game, including shots (24-6) shots on goal (16-3), and corner kicks (7-1).
 - Strickler, the reigning MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week, made one save in the victory. Alli Bicking, who played the final 18:34, also made a stop for the Dutchmen.

Who's Next?
MAC Commonwealth action continues for LVC on Saturday when the Dutchmen travel to take on Albright at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

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