Ruggeri Paces AMCATS to 9-1 Victory

Paxton, Mass. – Senior Tabitha Ruggeri (Palmer, Mass.) scored two goals and dished out three assists while freshman Samantha Gabriella (Malden, Mass.) added a hat-trick as the Anna Maria College Women's Soccer team downed Pine Manor College 9-1 in non-conference action tonight at AMCAT field.

Senior Erica Neugarten (Natick, Mass.) notched a goal and two assists plus teammate Teresa Ryan had four points on the night (1 goal, 3 assists) for Anna Maria. The Lady 'Cats improve to 2-12 on the season while the Gators drop to 2-9.

Gabriella scored the game's first goal on a sweet feed from Ruggeri thru the middle at 22:01 of the first half. Freshman Teresa Ryan (Shrewsbury, Mass.) set up the senior striker Ruggeri for the next two scores. Ruggeri's first tally came off a Ryan pass from the left wing and her second score was a low shot to the left post.

Sophomore Cristina Turley (Waterford, CT) tipped the scoresheet with an unassisted drive down the left wing and Samantha Gabriella scored the half's last two goals on a pair of break-a-way feeds from Ruggeri. Anna Maria held a 6-0 halftime lead, outshooting the Gators 28-2.

The Gators broke the shutout in the 57^th minute, junior Christina Warnke (Livermore, CA) pushed an unassisted goal pass the outstretched hands of AMCAT net minder Sarah Benvenuti (Southbridge, Mass.) to cut the lead to 6-1.

Anna Maria would add three more goals in the second half. Neugarten (Natick, Mass.) would score her first goal of the season in the 60^th minute off a Ryan pass and then return the favor in the 88^th minute when she would feed Ryan for her first collegiate goal. Ryan's goal came after Gator goaltender Natasha Kopystynsky (Johnsburg, IL) had made an incredible penalty kick save off the foot of senior Joanne Riches (Paxton, Mass.).

In-between those goals, Jordyn Beaulieu (Milford, Mass.) scored her second goal of the year.

Benvenuti made four saves to pick up her second win of the season, while her counterpart Kopystynsky stopped 15 AMCAT shots.

Anna Maria returns to action on Friday night when they host Emerson College in a GNAC match-up. In a pre-game ceremony the AMCATS will honor their graduating senior class.