CANTON, NY - The Utica University women's soccer team exploded for seven goals against SUNY Canton on the road Tuesday afternoon.
Leading the way for the Pioneers was freshman Samantha Ferguson (Westmoreland, NY/Westmoreland) who not only recorded her first collegiate goal, but her first career hat trick off the bench for the Pioneers, ending the afternoon with three goals and five shots, all of which would fall on goal. Amber Piersma (Cassville, NY/Mount Markham) got herself in on the action, finding the back of the net twice to extend her scoring streak to two games, finishing the afternoon with three shots on goal. Madison Wagner (Saukville, WI/Divine Savior Holy Angels) recorded her first career goal on her only shot of the day, as well as another point with an assist. Defender Kayla Giovingo (Centereach, NY/Centereach) managed to find the back of the net for herself, also scoring on her only shot of the day. Samantha Kogut (North Adams, MA/Drury), Krista Panko (Ilion, NY/Central Valley Academy), Meg Lasher (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont), and Adrianna Calabria (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) each found themselves with points as well, each tallying at least one assist on the afternoon. In goal for the Pioneers, Hannah Pcola (Cassville, NY/Mount Markham) and Emily Duro (Wappinger Falls, NY/Roy C. Ketcham) combined for the shutout effort, with either goalkeeper needing to make a save.
The Pioneers would open the scoring three and a half minutes into the contest, when a cross from Wagner would find the foot of Kogut that would redirect to Piersma to break it open for the Pioneers 1-0. In the 10th minute, Piersma would find the back of the net once more from 25 yards away, off a feed from Panko bringing the score of 2-0. Ferguson would notch her first of the contest in the 31st minute as she would beat the Kangaroo defender and take it to the house herself, putting Canton on ice at 3-0 with time remaining in the first half. With time winding down in the opening frame, Ferguson would find the back of the net once more on a through ball off the foot of Calabria that Ferguson would slot into the lower left corner, ending the half with the Pioneers up 4-0.
Coming out of the break, the Pioneers would continue firing on all cylinders, with Wagner scoring in the 47th minute on a breakaway down field, finding the upper corner of the net. After slowing down the pace, Ferguson would find her third of the afternoon in the 68th minute, after the initial shot by Panko would be deflected and the rebound would fall in the favor of Ferguson who would put it in off the crossbar. The Pioneers would find the final goal in the 84th minute off the foot of Giovingo, who would volley the ball out of the air after a corner kick by Lasher and into the back of the net.
Utica (1-1, 0-0 Empire 8) returns to action on Friday, September 5 as the team travels to Fredonia, NY to take on the Fredonia Blue Devils in the annual Blue Devil Clarion Classic. Start time is set for 3:30pm.
