Second Half Goals Lead #22 Tartans Past Bridgewater, 5-1

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - Another strong second half by the 22nd-ranked Carnegie Mellon University women's soccer team saw the Tartans top visiting Bridgewater College, 5-1, in the final game of the Carnegie Mellon DoubleTree Tartan Cup, Saturday, September 2. All six goals in the game were scored in the second half, as the Tartans moved to 2-0 on the year.

The Tartans put three shots on frame in the first period but all were turned away by Hayley Talbott while the Tartan defense didn't allow a shot by Bridgewater (0-1-1).

Fifty-five seconds into the second half, senior Morgan Kontor (Annapolis, Md. / Severn School) deflected a corner kick by senior Tori Iatarola (West Dundee, Ill. / Loyola Academy) into the near post and past Sydney Davis in goal for the Eagles.

In the 57th minute, sophomore Ryan Casey (Pasadena, Calif. / Polytechnic) won a ball on the left sideline and poked a pass to senior Haili Adams (Kirkland, Wash. / Juanita) in the central part of the field. Adams dribbled into open space and laced a shot center and high from just outside the penalty arc that sailed over Davis and into the net for a 2-0 lead for the Tartans.

A similar play happened in the 65th minute when Casey challenged a defender along the left side. The ball bounced off the defender and to the foot of senior Sienna Stritter (Menlo Park, Calif. / Menlo School) in the midfield. Stritter dribbled into open space and lofted a shot high over the outstretched arms of Davis and into the net for her first goal of the season and the Tartan 3-0 lead.

Katherine Wright put the Eagles on the board in the 76th minute with a goal off a free kick. She curled a right-footed shot around the wall to the near post past the hands of freshman Carolyn Botz (St. Louis, Mo. / Micds) in net for the Tartans.

In the 88th minute, Casey found the back of the net herself after a long throw in by senior Katie Strycharz (Potomac Falls, Va. / Dominion) bounced over a defender where Casey then chipped the keeper for the score.

The final goal of the night came off the foot of freshman Kristen Chong (Fullerton, Calif. / Troy) in the 89th minute. Iatarola played a low free kick toward the near post that Chong finished with her right foot at the near post.

The Tartans will head on the road next weekend for two games starting at Capital University on Friday, September 8 at 4:00 p.m. before the play at Ohio Northern University on Saturday, September 9 at 6:00 p.m.