ERIE, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson women's soccer team scored four goals in the second half, including three unanswered, to defeat Penn State Behrend 6-5 in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon.
Tatiana Ruzzini was instrumental in helping the Presidents (4-1-2) defeat the Lions (3-3) for the fourth straight time by netting four goals including the game winner and the final tally on a penalty kick in the 82nd minute.
The five goals marks the third consecutive game Behrend has generated this offensive output, but also found themselves on the opposite end with W&J getting the last say with under 10 minutes to play.
Jillian Bartman tallied two second-half goals for the Presidents, tying the game at 4-all before the heroics of Ruzzini.
For the Lions, Olivia Belack (Upper St. Clair, PA/Upper St. Clair) scored two unassisted goals while Laura Schaefer (Erie, PA/General McLane) had three points with a goal and an assist. Nicole Evans (South Park, PA/South Park) also recorded her first collegiate goal in the first half to give Behrend a 3-2 lead heading into halftime.
The first 20 minutes set the tone for the scoring frenzy game. Three goals were scored, starting in the opening 1:40 by Alex Bilka (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley). Schaefer played a through ball and Bilka caught goalie Allison Rinehimer out too far, placing a rolling ball into the back of the net for a quick 1-0 lead.
Ruzzini scored similar back-to-back goals to give W&J a 2-1 lead. She was played a ball from the middle and used her speed to get in a 1v1 position with Mackenzie Troyan (Butler, PA/Butler) for the finish.
Belack answered with her fifth goal of the season in the 32nd minute. She got her own rebound off her initial shot that was saved by Rinehimer to knot it at 2-all. Less than 10 minutes later, Evans intercepted a goal kick and buried her shot to make it 3-2 at the break.
The offensive output carried over into the second half. Schaefer sandwiched her header goal off a corner kick between the two goals by the Presidents Bartman. Ruzzini then scored two goals in less than 30 seconds for a 6-4 lead that would stand.
Belack managed to add her second goal the same way she scored her first with time expiring to make it a one-goal game.
Behrend held a 17-12 shot advantage, while W&J made six saves to the Lions one.
Behrend returns to action tomorrow night against Westminster. Game time is 7 p.m.
