TROY, N.Y. – Senior Emily Kaplan recorded her first career hat trick to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's soccer team to a 6-0 victory over Bard College, on Saturday afternoon at East Campus Stadium. With the win, the Engineers improve to 3-2-2 overall (1-0 Liberty League), while the Raptors drop to 3-5 (0-1 Liberty League).

Kaplan (Smithtown, NY/Hauppauge) netted the first two goals of her natural hat trick in the first half, beginning in just the fifth minute of play. Sophomore Whitney Wisnom (Hillsborough, CA/Design Tech.) played a ball over the top of the Bard defense and Kaplan ran onto it, before burying a right-footed shot in the side netting.

RPI doubled its advantage 20 minutes later, when Kaplan collected the rebound off her own blocked shot and fired through the legs of Bard junior goalkeeper Abigail Stanley (St. Petersburg, FL/AFNORTH International School). The unassisted tally came in the 25th minute.

After a number of opportunities to add to their lead, the Engineers a 2-0 advantage to break, along with a 12-4 shot edge.

Kaplan completed the hat trick in the 49th minute, taking down a long ball on the right of goal and smashing a shot inside the far post. The goal was the 14th of Kaplan's career.

Wisnom etched her name to the scoresheet in the 50th minute, breaking in clear on goal, before firing a shot off of Bard freshman goalkeeper Skylar Farmer (Medford, OR/South Medford) and over the line for her first goal of the year. Senior Jacqui Richard (Southwick, MA/Westminster School) delivered the through ball for the assist on the play.

Sophomore Gigi Mecca (Wallingford, CT/Choate Rosemary Hall) got loose for her second goal of the season in the 57th minute after latching onto a pass over the top from senior Grace Heine (Lee, NH/Oyster River). Without a defender in sight, Mecca dribbled towards, before rolling a shot past Farmer for a 5-0 lead.

Following another breakaway for Mecca that was denied, the Engineers concluded the scoring in the 73rd minute, when freshman Akaela Feng (Blacksburg, VA/Blacksburg) netted her first collegiate, sticking home a cross from senior Jeanine Moreau (Litchfield, CT/Phillips Academy) from just outside the six yard area.

Junior Kate Nadeau (Cohoes, NY/Shaker) made five saves to earn her second straight shutout, while Stanley and Farmer turned away six and two shots, respectively.

The six goals match the program record for a Liberty League/UCAA game, tying an output from September 28, 2001, when Rensselaer defeated Clarkson University, 6-0.

RPI is back in action next Saturday, when it hosts St. Lawrence University at East Campus Stadium (4pm). Bard hosts Oneonta on Tuesday (7pm).