TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's soccer recorded its school-record fourth straight shutout to open the season in defeating SUNY New Paltz, 3-0, on Friday afternoon at East Campus Stadium. With the win, the Engineers improve to 4-0, while the Hawks drop to 1-6-1.
New Paltz had the game's first chance in the third minute, when senior Sloane Lipshie (Port Jefferson Station, NY/Comsewogue) drilled a shot from free kick, that tested RPI freshman goalkeeper
Joey Lyons (Harwood, MD/Southern) from nearly 30 yards out. Lyons was able to reach and hold the attempt that was headed for the top corner.
Rensselaer freshman
Emily Kaplan (Smithtown, NY/Hauppauge) intercepted a short Hawks goal kick and fired home a shot from outside the 18, in the 22nd minute. The goal, which was her team-leading second of the season, gave the Engineers a 1-0 lead.
Classmate
Jacqui Richard (Southwick, MA/Westminster School) then hit the crossbar off of a
Maddie Steinmetz (Malvern, PA/West Chester East) corner in the 38th minute, leaving the hosts with a 1-0 advantage at the half.
RPI quickly made it 2-0, just six minutes into the second stanza. Freshman
Jeanine Moreau (Litchfield, CT/Phillips Academy) lofted a left-footed ball towards the left post that New Paltz freshman goalie Angela Ratka (Farmington, NY/Victor) got a piece of, but couldn't keep from crossing the line. The 52nd minute tally was the first of Moreau's collegiate career.
After freshman
Alexis Castrellon (Conroe, TX/Battlefield) hit the bar in the 61st minute, junior center back
Bethany Hanson (Fullerton, CA/Sunny Hills) capped the scoring with RPI's third tally in the 63rd. Steinmetz delivered one of her five corners of the game to the edge of the six, where Hanson was waiting to thigh home her first collegiate goal.
Lyons (4-0) made three saves in the opening 65 minutes, before giving way to junior
Tori Riopelle (Ashburn, VA/Briar Woods) for the final 25. Riopelle was called upon to handle a few crosses, but did not register a save. Ratka (1-6-1) went the distance for the Hawks, making 11 stops.
The Engineers open a three-game road trip on Sunday, when they visit nationally second-ranked Williams (12pm). New Paltz travels to Manhattanville tomorrow (3pm).
