EUREKA, Ill. - The Rockford University women's soccer team improved to 2-2 on the season with an easy 8-0 win Wednesday afternoon over the Eureka College Red Devils. Rockford dominated from the get-go controlling all facets of the match as the outcome was never really in doubt. The Regents outshot the Red Devils 54-0 including a 21-0 advantage in shots on goal to earn their second shutout victory of the season.
Rockford scored four goals in the opening half with the first coming exactly 8 minutes into the match when junior Lexie Collins (Earlville, Ill.) scored her first of three goals on the day off an assist from Allyssa Hobbs (Sterling, Ill.). The match would remain 1-0 until midway through the half when the Regents scored a trio of goals in just under 8 minutes. The first of which came off the foot of senior Giovana Ortega (Rockford) who was assisted by Vivian Knapp (Rockford, Ill.). Rockford continued to build on its lead a few minutes later when Collins found the back of the net for second time in match off an assist from Knapp to give her team a 3-0 lead. Less than 2 minutes after that, the Regents extended their lead even further when Ortega scored her second goal of the half as Rockford took a 4-0 advantage into halftime.
The second half followed a similar pattern as Rockford scored four more goals. Erys Rivera (Belvidere, Ill.) and Danielle Hanson (Machesney Park, Ill.) each scored their first collegiate goal and Rivera also picked up her first collegiate assist on Hanson's goal. Rockford's final two goals of the match came from Erin Disanti (Rockford, Ill.), who was assisted by Giovana Ortega, and Lexie Collins, en route to an 8-0 win.
Rockford's offensive attack was once again led by the dual threat of Lexie Collins and Giovana Ortega. Collins finished with 3 goals on just 6 shot attempts to record her first hat-trick this season. Ortega narrowly missed her second hat-trick of the year, tallying 2 goals on 11 shot attempts with 1 assist.
The RU women's soccer team returns to competition this Saturday, September 9 at home against Illinois College. The match has a scheduled start time of 1:00 PM at Wedgbury Stadium.
