October 10, 2008

Junior Rachel Caneen posted her first hat trick of the season as the Central Connecticut women's soccer team improved to 2-1 in Northeast Conference play with a 4-0 victory at home against Mount St. Mary's on Friday afternoon. CCSU is now 5-4-4 overall this season and 2-0 at home. The Blue Devils return to action on Sunday. They will host Monmouth at 1 p.m.

The Blue Devils scored a pair of goals in the game's first two minutes. Junior Leah Blayney scored her fourth goal of the season 1:18 into the game to give the home squad a 1-0 lead. Blayney beat Mount goalkeeper Alicia Miller from 30 yards out. Caneen made it 2-0 moments later. She scored off a deflection by Miller just 18 seconds later, giving the Blue Devils a 2-0 advantage just two minutes into the game. It was Caneen's third goal of the season.

Caneen's second goal of the game, at 7:15, upped the Blue Devil lead to 3-0. The junior took a misplayed ball off the Miller, and beat the defense to the right corner of the net.

The Blue Devils outshot the Mountaineers 19-1 in the first half but were held scoreless in the final 42 minutes of the period.

Caneen's third goal of the game came at the 52:21 mark off a feed from Blayney. Blayney took advantage of a Mount turnover, and fed Caneen up the middle. Caneen beat Miller to the lower right corner to record the hat trick.

The Blue Devils outshot the Mountaineers 27-10 overall and 14-3 in shots on goal. The held a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks in the victory. Junior Caity Casey stopped two shots in 77:46. Freshman Alyssa Burke played 12:14 in her collegiate debut.

CCSU returns to action on Sunday at 1 p.m. at home vs. Monmouth.