MARIETTA, Ga. --- Senior forward
Daniela Cianchini found the back of the net a career-best three times, as the Life University women's soccer team rocked the visiting University of Pikeville Bears by a score of 6-0 during the team's senior day on the KSU-Marietta Intramural Field.
Life U (6-6, 3-4 MSC) earned their third-straight Mid-South Conference victory with the dominant start to finish victory, while Pikeville (3-10, 0-8 MSC) still tries to find its first conference victory of the season. It did not take long for the Running Eagles to take control of the game, unleashing a barrage of shots on the opposing goalkeeper,
Johanna Altheden breaking through for the first score just 10 minutes into the contest. 10 minutes later Life U tacked on another score, this one off the foot of
Rebecca Noren and assisted by Altheden. Holding a 2-0 lead and with little over five minutes to go in the opening frame, Cianchini recorded two goals to put the team firmly in control at 4-0. Cianchini finished her hat trick just under two minutes into the second half, scoring for the third time off a pass from
Jeanne Brigand. Getting more subs into the game, the score held strong at 5-0 until
Justine Kuiper scored off a
Niamh Halloren pass in the 78th minute to give the final score of 6-0.
Many players had great games for Life U, Cianchini leading the way with three goals, while other scores came from Altheden, Noren, and Kuiper. For those assisting those scores, Brigand led the team with three assists, other players earning assists being:
Thora Hreggvidsdottir, Altheden,
Charlotte Turner, and Halloren.
As to be expected in a lopsided contest, Life U dominated the offensive statistics, taking a season high 44 shots (19 on goal) to only one shot for the Bears as well as being the only team with corner shots taken with six total. Pikeville's goalkeeper collected 13 saves, while the Running Eagles led the foul and card categories at 13-4 and 2-1, respectively.
The women stay home for their next contest, facing Shawnee State on the campus of Marietta High School Sunday at noon.
