The College of New Jersey Athletics

EWING, N.J. - The ninth-ranked TCNJ women's soccer team kicked off its three-game homestand with a match against William Paterson Wednesday night, riding Jenny Ward's first collegiate hat trick to a 5-0 win over the Pioneers. The victory extends the Lions' win streak to a season-best four, moving them into a two-way tie for second in the NJAC standings with four games to play.
 
For the third time in four games, it was the Lions (9-1-2, 4-1 NJAC) opening the scoring less than five minutes into the match via Ward. With just 4:29 elapsed, the junior was first to a deflected cross sent in by Katie Naughton, rifling a half volley under the crossbar and in to give TCNJ the 1-0 lead.

The duo converted again less than 30 seconds later when a second Naughton cross found Ward's left foot at the far post. Despite an initial save from William Paterson's Alessandra Socio, the junior's shot trickled its way across the goal line to double the Lions' advantage and Ward's personal goal tally.
 
TCNJ kept its foot on the gas in search of a third, piling on four corners and five shots on goal over the ensuing 15 minutes before Corinne Russo capitalized on a broken play for her first collegiate score.
 
A failed clearance on a Lions insert left the ball at the feet of Maggie Murphy, who turned away from pressure and laid the ball off to Russo well outside the 18. The freshman pounced on the opportunity, sending a one-time shot over the glove of Socio and under the bar to push TCNJ's lead to three, where it would hold until the half.
 
Murphy called her own number out of the break, combining with Ward to pair her earlier assist with a goal just over three minutes into the second half, before Ward capped off the evening's scoring with a nice finish off a cross from Emily Weidner to secure the junior her first collegiate hat trick and the Lions the 5-0 victory in front of the home crowd.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• TCNJ took all 37 shots in the contest, putting 19 on frame.
• The Lions also held a 14-0 edge in corners.
• Ward led the team in both shots (5) and shots on goal (5).
• TCNJ played 34 of its 35 eligible players, with no starter playing over 55 minutes.

NOTES

• The shutout is the Lions' third in four games, all of which have come against NJAC foes.
• Ward's career day pushes her season totals to nine goals and six assists.
  • The junior also extended her streak of games with a goal and/or an assist to six.
• Murphy's goal was her eighth of the season while the assist was her third.
• Russo's goal was the first of her career.
  • The freshman is the 15th different TCNJ player to score this year.
• Weidner moved into a tie for second on the team with her fourth assist of the season.
• Naughton's assist was her second in three games.
• Ellen Williams and Riley Fitzpatrick combined for the clean sheet.

UP NEXT

• The Lions are back home Saturday, Oct. 17 to host SUNY New Paltz. TCNJ will honor its six graduating student-athletes prior to the 12 p.m. kickoff.