Rockville Centre, N.Y. - Junior Lexi Verni scored her first collegiate hat trick as the 14^th-ranked Molloy women's soccer team took down the Roberts Wesleyan Redhawks, 4-0, Saturday afternoon at John A. Darcy Field. The Lions improved to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in ECC play, while the Redhawks fell to 0-5-1 overall and 0-1 in league play.
 
How It Happened

• The Lions got the ball rolling eight minutes in, sophomore Brenna Glover was denied from close range, before fellow sophomore Eleni Sofroniou fired in the rebound to give Molloy an early lead.
• In the 40^th minute, senior Dana Poetzsch laid one off for Verni, who drove towards the middle and fired it in from nearly 25 yards out to double the advantage.
• Moments later, junior Annie Coogan struck the crossbar from inside the box.
• The Lions were up 2-0 at the end of the first half.
• In the 67^th minute, Verni sent another effort from distance into the back of the net, with freshman Nicole Fabris laying it off for her this time around to make it 3-0.
• Roberts Wesleyan nearly got one back in the 76^th minute off a corner kick, but senior Jackie Carty denied a Redhawk effort from close range, and the follow-up was blocked off the line by senior Carli Fonseca.
• Verni completed her hat trick in the 81^st minute, she tucked in the rebound from Poetzsch's initial shot that was tipped onto the crossbar.
• Molloy outshot Roberts Wesleyan 13-8.
• The Lions extended their winning streak against the Redhawks to four games, including two straight 4-0 victories.

 
Top Performances

• Verni netted her first three goals of the season and now has 14 in her Molloy career.
• Sofroniou scored her first goal of the season and her third overall for the Lions.
• Poetzsch tallied her first assist of the season, taking her career total to 10.
• Fabris notched her first career point for the Lions with an assist.
• Carty made three saves and for her fifth shutout of the season.

 
Up Next

• The maroon and white travel to Philadelphia to take on Chestnut Hill College Thursday, September 23. The match against the Griffins is set for 7:00 p.m.