Rizzo Nets Second Half Hat Trick as Women's Soccer Rolls Past Tigers
FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Women's Soccer team breezed past Salem (WV) in an 11-0 shutout win on Saturday evening.
Straight from the kick-off, FSU controlled the early proceedings, as most chances fell to junior Chelsea Pettyjohn, who forced keeper Chloe Owens into a pair of saves within the first five minutes. Sophomore Mollie Rebuck and senior Carly Gillette followed with efforts of their own that either missed the mark or were stopped by Owens. The Bobcat breakthrough came just under nine minutes in, as a rebound fell to sophomore Ridgely Houck, who fired from 30 yards out and found the bottom left corner off a bounce for her first collegiate goal.
Just five minutes later, after Gillette was denied by Owens, Houck turned provider after launching a ball over the top for Rebuck to run on to, as she calmly finished for a 2-0 advantage. Gillette nearly had the third five minutes later but was denied by the woodwork, however she would finally get her goal midway through the half, as Pettyjohn played the ball wide to Rebuck, who in turn played it into Gillette's path as she was able to round Owens and finish from a tight angle for the 3-0 score. Junior Amanda Hawbecker was twice denied by Owens as the half wore down, with Gillette also drawing a save as the clock hit zero on a three-goal lead.
Within two minutes of the second half starting, freshman Reese Rizzo made her presence felt, netting her first two career goals off assists from sophomores Elena Fernandez and Ellie Fiedler to move ahead 5-0. Fernandez then provided another assist to classmate Rayiah Davis, then netted one of her own on a cross by freshman Emma Hostetler as the lead stood at seven.
The game of firsts continued as Hostetler got on the board herself after a nice combination between Davis and Rizzo, as FSU led 8-0 with a half hour still to play. Over the next 15 minutes, new Tiger keeper Janiya Brooks-Crews provided the highlights, as she produced five saves in net parrying away several Bobcat shots.
Within a two-minute span headed to the final 15, freshman Molly Colbert produced what might have been the goal of the game, unleashing a 35-yard thunderbolt that crashed off the underside of the bar and over the line, while Rizzo latched onto a pass down the left side, cut inside and finished off her hat trick with a 10-0 advantage. On an FSU corner with less than four minutes to go, Hostetler was first to react to a bouncing ball, turning and finishing for the final goal of the contest and the 11-0 victory.
Frostburg had 38 shots in the effort, with 25 of them on goal, while not allowing a single SU shot.
With the win, FSU improves to 2-1 on the year, while Salem drops to 0-2. The Bobcats next head on the road for their MEC opener at Fairmont State on Wednesday, September 17 at 7 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.
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