FITCHBURG, Mass. – It was a historic afternoon for Tayla Salome (Lincoln, R.I.) as she recorded a hat trick and led the Roger Williams University Women's Soccer team to a 5-2 victory over Fitchburg State University on Monday afternoon at Elliot Field. Salome was one of a trio of RWU players to find the back of the net, and she scored not one, not two, but three times and in the process matched what is believed to be the Hawks program record for goals scored in a single game by a freshman.
 
Playing in their third game in five days, the Hawks came away on the winning end of each contest and improved to 10-4-0 on the season and remain undefeated when they score first. On the other side, the Falcons remain winless, falling to 0-11-1.
 
Salome's hat trick was the third three-plus goal performance of the season by a Hawk with the first two coming courtesy of Bianca Robbins (Johnston, R.I.). She is also the first freshman to score three goals in a game since Kasey Provost netted a trio against Clark University on September 9, 2014.
 
In goal, RWU split time in between Morgan McCutcheon (Danbury, Conn.) and Morgan Strassburg (Longmeadow, Mass.). McCutcheon earned the start and played 32:12 in the contest making two saves while not allowing a goal. Strassburg relieved her for the final 57:48 and made four saves against two goals and is credited with the win to improve to 3-2-0.
 
For the Falcons, Allison Gough (Wolcott, Conn.) saw a majority of the action, playing 65:40 and allowed three goals while making eight saves but got tagged with the loss and fell to 0-7-1. Abaigeal Gilman (Clinton, Mass.) started for FSU and played 24:20 making two saves and allowing two goals along the way.
 
Hawk Highlights
Tayla Salome: 3 goals (GW), 4 shots, 4 shots on goal
Leah Yucius: 1 goal, 3 shots, 2 shots on goal
Rachel Oster: 1 goal, 2 shots, 1 shot on goal
 
Morgan McCutcheon: 2 saves, 0 goals allowed, 32:12 minutes in goal
Morgan Strassburg: 4 saves, 2 goals allowed, 57:48 minutes in goal
 
For The Opponents
Hannah Crevedi: 1 goal, 3 shots, 1 shot on goal
Kendra Peretzman: 1 goal, 1 shot, 1 shot on goal
Angela Gonzalez: 1 assist, 2 shots, 2 shots on goal
 
Allison Gough: 8 saves, 3 goals allowed, 65:40 minutes in goal
Abaigeal Gilman: 2 saves, 2 goals allowed, 24:20 minutes in goal
 
How It Happened
Roger Williams jumped on the board right away in the 11^th minute of action. Sarina Olson (Bristol, R.I.) began the attack by sending a lead pass down the right side of the pitch that Kelly Yadoff (Wyckoff, N.J.) caught up to at the bottom right corner of the corner of the 18-yard box. She proceeded to send a centering pass that Tayla Salome (Lincoln, R.I.) got a piece of in front of the net, and she redirected it past the Fitchburg State keeper Abaigeal Gilman (Clinton, Mass.) to open the scoring. It was Salome's second score of the season, but she was just getting started.
 
A few minutes later, the Hawks got a goal from another freshman, and this time it was Rachel Oster (Scituate, R.I.) who found the back of the net inside the left post in the 16^th minute of play. It was Oster's fifth tally on the season.
 
At the conclusion of the first half, RWU had a major advantage in scoring chances as they had more shots, 17-6, shots on goal, 10-4, and corner kicks, 4-0. However, the Falcons remained within striking distance.
 
The Hawks upped their advantage in the 62^nd minute. Sabrina Sherman (Brentwood, N.H.) gathered the ball at midfield and sent a long through pass down the right side where she found the streaking Salome who had left the defender in the dust. She earned a one-on-one chance against the GK for her efforts, then made a move on the Falcon goalie, Allison Gough (Wolcott, Conn.), and finished with a shot into the bottom right corner for her second goal.
 
FSU got one back in the 65^th minute when Kendra Pereztzman (Randolph, Mass.) found the back of the net for her first collegiate goal, cutting the deficit to two.
 
Roger Williams got it back in the 70^th minute, however. Raffaella Brunetti (East Providence, R.I.) send a terrific feed in front to Leah Yucius (Duxbury, Mass.) around the top of the 18-yard box. She had space between a pair of defenders and then beat the charging Gough with a shot from the top of the six-yard box straight away, into the bottom left corner. The tally was the eighth of the season for Yucius as she extended the lead to three again.
 
In the 73^rd minute, Fitchburg State made another push to close the gap and they did so with a goal from Hannah Cravedi (Baldwinville, Mass.) her first collegiate goal.
 
The Hawks put this one on ice in the 82^nd minute and it was none other than Salome who put it out of reach for good. Brunetti corralled the ball on the defensive side of midfield before turning and sending a long pass down the right side. Salome chased it down and from a difficult angle rocketed a shot across the crease and into the bottom left corner for her third score of the contest.
 
When it was all said and done, RWU outshot the Falcons, 28-16, had more shots on goal, 16-8, and received more corner kicks, 5-2.

Coach's Corner
You sometimes learn more about your players in a game than you do at practice, and today that was clear to see. A game is just an extension of practice but some players do better in a game environment. We were able to try a few things and a few players in different roles and it seemed to work.

It is good to see our freshmen becoming more confident and growing into their roles on the team. The transition from high school to college is a big step and it can take a while for some players to understand how this team wants to play compared to their previous team. At college, the level is better or higher in every aspect of the game. Players are more technical, they understand tactics with and without the ball. Usually the players are bigger, stronger and faster than you are used to in every position. Most teams have quality sitting on the bench as well, with competition to play or start games, this is good problem to have as a coach.

We have more players on the team than usual because of the pandemic, but everyone has earned the right to be here. Some develop quicker than others, so as the season has progressed, different individuals have had the chance to shine. In today's game we had goals from two freshmen, including a hat trick with quality minutes, a great shift by several more, which is awesome for them, and the program. We have a lot of young inexperienced players who are now becoming collegiate athletes, they are beginning to come to terms with what they have to do in every practice and every game.

Things are good right now, and the future is looking good as well. 

What's Next
The Hawks (10-4-0) play their first mid-week CCC showdown of the season when they venture to Nichols College (4-7-1) on Wednesday for a 3:00 PM contest.
 
The Falcons (0-11-1) will look to get into the win column when they host MCLA (0-9-1) on Saturday at noon.