Women's Soccer Dominates in Season Opener

Friday, August 25

Providence, R.I.

2 p.m.

Brown University

1-0-0, 0-0-0

UAlbany

1-2-0, 0-0-0

UAlbany

Brown

Photo by: Emma C. Marion

8/25/2023 4:59:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Brown women's soccer team opened the 2023 season in dominating fashion, taking down UAlbany 6-0 Friday afternoon at Stevenson-Pincince Field. The Bears (1-0) totaled 31 shots while allowing the Great Danes (1-2) to manage just four.

"We wanted to be very dynamic in the final third and I'm glad we were able to showcase that," head coach Kia McNeill said. "Getting three goals in the first 20 minutes and putting the game away early on was exactly what we wanted to do.

"We have another tough match on Sunday so we wanted to keep some fresh legs, get a lot of people minutes today. It was a great performance from start to finish, obviously a couple things to work on, but overall, a good start."

As McNeill alluded, the Bears scored three goals in the opening 20 minutes to take a commanding lead. They added one more before halftime and then two in the second half to take home the victory.

Layla Shell, in her debut as a Bear, scored a pair of goals. In addition, Brittany Raphino, Kira Maguire, Naya Cardoza, and Naomi Ferguson all also found the back of the net.

Cardoza, Sheyenne Allen, and Joy Okonye each recorded two assists, while Ava Seelenfreund and Angelina Vargas had one apiece.

In goal, Bella Schopp got the start and the win, making two saves. Clare Gagne played the second half, but didn't have to make a stop thanks to an outstanding performance from the Brown defense.

Shell opened the scoring off an Allen corner that Cardoza headed down. Shell was the first to it to give the Bears the lead in the eighth minute.

Raphino was next after Okonye played beautiful through ball into the 18. All Raphino needed was one touch to beat the keeper to double the lead.

Shell got her second shortly thereafter, again off a corner, with helpers from the same teammates as the first, Cardoza and Allen.

To round out the first half, Seelenfreund played a ball across the top of the 18 to Maguire, who's left-footed shot froze the defense and curled into the bottom right corner.

In the 65^th minute, Cardoza scored her own to go with her two assists. She headed home a perfectly place corner to give Okonye her second assist of the day.

The sixth and final goal came in the 88^th minute, courtesy of Ferguson. A hard shot from the middle of the box split a pair of defenders and beat the goalie.

The Bears return to action this Sunday, Aug. 27 in their first road game of the season, taking on Central Connecticut State at 2 p.m.

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