Women’s Soccer Shutouts Anna Maria, 5-0, in GNAC Opener

EAST BOSTON – The Suffolk women's soccer team earned its third straight shutout Saturday afternoon as the Rams downed Anna Maria, 5-0, in their GNAC opener at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park.

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 5, Anna Maria 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-1-0, 1-0-0 GNAC) | Anna Maria (1-3-0, 0-1-0 GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Jennifer Martin lit Suffolk's offense with a goal 1:31 into the contest and the Rams' did not look back from there as they scored another in the first half and added three in the second to walk away with the 5-0 triumph.

GOALS GALORE

• Barley two minutes into the contest Suffolk took a 1-0 lead. Following an Anna Maria foul, Martin trapped Paola Ortez's free kick with her chest and kicked it in top shelf for her fifth goal of the season.
• On a 2-on-1 opportunity, Jessica Harmon drew the AMCATS' keeper, Kate Kneeland, to the left side of the net, slipped the ball to Alexandra Nagri on the right. The junior forward easily scored on the bottom right to give the Rams a 2-0 cushion at 10:44.
• Ortez set up another shot for the Rams at the 58th minute. This time, Harmon was on the receiving end of Ortez' free kick and the junior forward made a turnaround move and send the rock into the back of the netting for her first tally of the season.
• Martin stretched Suffolk's advantage to five at 84:28. Veronica Bernardo raced the ball down the left sideline, crossed it into Martin, who put away her second goal of the day.

KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS

• Kirsten Weiker made one stop in her second shutout of the season and the sophomore's career.
• Kate Kneeland faced 21 Suffolk shots, stopping 16.

NOTEWORTHY

• The Rams won their conference opener for the first time in the program's 10-year history.
• Suffolk's third straight cleansheet is the most times that the Rams' have shutout three consecutive opponents since the blue-and-gold strung four shutouts together From Oct. 1-10, 2011.
• Suffolk improved to 5-1 all-time against Anna Maria and shutout the AMCATS for the fourth time. The Rams have outscored the AMCATS, 39-2, since the series began in 2011.  
• With two scores, Martin had back-to-back multi-goal performances. The junior is the first Ram to post consecutive games with multiple goals since Harmon did so against Saint Joseph's (Maine) and Mount Ida in 2014.
• Bernardo and Erika Nelson each recorded their first points of the season, both handed out assists.

POST-GAME PIC

COMING UP
Suffolk returns to action at future GNAC foe Regis Thursday, Sept. 15. Game time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.