Four Goals Push the Tartans Past the Presidents

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University women's soccer team returned to its home field on Wednesday, September 14 against Washington and Jefferson College. The Tartans won the match 4-0 to move to 3-2 on the year while the Presidents dropped to 3-2-1.

Sophomore Kaily Bruch (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) scored in the 22nd minute after she touched the ball around a defender on the left sideline, took a touch toward the goal and slotted a low shot to the far post for the Tartans' one goal lead. The play started in the Tartans' defensive half when junior Alex Moy (Southborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) found freshman Sydney Webber (Nashville, Tenn./Harpeth Hall) around midfield. Webber then touched the ball down the sideline for Bruch.

Prior to Bruch's goal, junior Tori Iatarola (West Dundee, Ill./Loyola Academy) had two left-footed shots sail wide of the goal and the Presidents' watched as Tatiana Ruzzini's shot in the 13th minute hit to post.

The second half began with the Tartans controlling the ball, as they earned a free kick about 50 yards from the goal. Junior Katie Strycharz (Potomac Falls, Va./Dominion) sent the ball to the edge of the 18-yard box where a defender cleared it with a header. Moy collected the clearance and struck a shot to the far side netting for her first of the season in the 47th minute.

In the 58th minute, sophomore Sarah Mahler (Cincinnati, Ohio/Maeira) made her first save of the game when Nicole Walters sent a free kick directly at her.

Nearly two minutes later the Tartans scored again when freshman Ryan Casey (Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic) put in her third of the season when she pounced on a rebound off a shot by Iatarola that was saved by Allison Rinehimer.

Iatarola later put in the Tartans' fourth goal of the game when she followed a saved shot by sophomore Katja Brackelmanns-Puig (Randolph, N.J./Randolph). Rinehimer turned away Brackelmanns-Puig's attempt from inside the six and Iatarola popped a shot over Rinehimer for her third score of the season.

Mahler then preserved the shutout with a diving save in the 89th minute.

The Tartans return to action on Saturday, September 17 when they travel to Grove City College for a 2:00 p.m. contest.