Ewing, NJ. … The College of New Jersey women's soccer team registered its fourth consecutive shutout, defeating Widener University, 3-0 on Sunday afternoon at the TCNJ Soccer Complex.
 
The Lions raised their record to 6-0-1 on the season and are off to their best start since 2012 when they won their first seven games. The Pride fell to 2-3-2 overall in 2016.
 
TCNJ got on the board when senior Marissa Scognamiglio (Orangeville, NY/Pearl River) picked up a loose ball in the back of the box and drove a shot into the left corner. It was the second goal of the season for Scognamiglio.
 
The Lions continued to pressure the Pride defense throughout the first half, but could not break through with a second goal despite a ball off the cross bar and another off the post. Goalkeeper Jenna Keating had a busy opening period and stopped five shots on net.
 
Words of wisdom from Head Coach Joe Russo at the intermission were nothing short of genius. The Lions scored two goals in a span of three minutes, the first coming just 16 seconds into the second half. Senior Christine Levering (Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville) got loose with the ball in the box and ripped a shot that Keating dove to her right to make the save. Junior Elizabeth Thoresen (Colts Neck, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) followed up the rebound and pushed a shot into the right side of the net to extend the lead to 2-0. That marked the third goal this season for Thoresen.
 
At the 47:54 mark of the game, TCNJ was awarded a penalty kick. Junior Jessica Goldman (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery) stepped up and drilled home her second score of the fall.
 
With just under 33 minutes remaining, Keating came up with a pair of outstanding saves. Scognamiglio cranked a shot from 20 yards out that was destined for the top of the net, but Keating tipped the ball off the crossbar for the initial stop. Levering pounced on the rebound for a close-range shot, but Keating dove to her right to block the shot and fend off the Lion attack. TCNJ outshot Widener 33-2 in the game.
 
On the defensive side, the Lions permitted just two blocked shots during the contest. The defense in front of senior goalkeeper Jessica Weeder (Lebanon, NJ/Paramus) has been air-tight, and TCNJ has now gone 406:39 without surrendering a goal.
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TCNJ returns to the pitch this Wednesday night when they take on Rutgers University-Camden in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Lions Stadium.