Box Score PROVIDENCE, R.I.-Senior forward Maura Gonsalves (Dartmouth, Mass.) recorded three goals and one assist as the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women's soccer team topped Rhode Island College, 6-0, in Little East Conference action at the RIC Soccer Field on Saturday afternoon.
UMass Dartmouth got on the board just nine seconds into the game when Gonsalves took a feed from senior forward Shelby Friedland (New Bedford, Mass.), ran though the defense and swept the ball past Rhode Island College goalkeeper Audrey Maia for the 1-0 lead.
The Corsairs continued the pressure early with Friedland scoring in the fourth minute to put UMass Dartmouth up 2-0. Two more goals by Gonsalves and a tally by sophomore defender Lucy Jensen (Boxborough, Mass.), with Gonsalves on the assist, raised the Corsairs advantage to five goals with 32 minutes left to play in the game.
Late in the game, freshman Courtney Bailen (Millis, Mass.) was inches away from registering her first collegiate goal as she blasted a shot off the post at the 88th minute, which was inadvertently kicked into the net by the Anchorwomen defense.
Jensen contributed two assists to go with her goal, while freshman midfielder Lily Higgins (Hanson, Mass.) and sophomore midfielder Erica Farias (Tiverton, R.I.) each made the stat sheet with an assist in the victory.
Sophomore goaltender Nikki Butts (Milford, Mass.) made three saves in her first win in net for the Corsairs. Maia made 16 saves and recorded her third game with double digit saves on the year for the Anchorwomen.
The Corsairs improved to 2-4 on the year and 1-0 in LEC play, while Rhode Island College slip to 1-5 and 0-1 in the conference.
UMass Dartmouth returns to action on Wednesday, Sept. 24 when the Corsairs travel to Lasell College for a 4 p.m. non-conference contest.
