Gophers Rout Vixens for Fourth Win in Five Games

LYNCHBURG, Va. — Sophie Smith (Lawrenceville, N.J./Madison) had three goals and two assists, and five other Goucher players registered multiple goals as the Gophers continued their strong start to 2015 with a 16-4 rout of Sweet Briar this afternoon.

Anneke Ossorio (Lafayette, Colo./Kent Denver School) scored the first of her two goals 48 seconds into the contest, and Goucher never looked back. Jessica Borucki (Westminster, Md./North Carroll), Jojo Franklin (Denver, Colo./Kent Denver School), Rita Meissner (Yonkers, N.Y./Yonkers) and Stefi Perry (Houston, Texas/Klein) also struck twice in the victory.

Franklin's first marker came 39 seconds after the opener, and Meissner, Ossorio and Kat Carnevale (Portland, Ore./St. Mary's Academy) added three more goals in quick succession to give the Gophers a 5-0 advantage with 23:35 still remaining in the first half. Carnevale's goal was her first of the season and second of the defender's three-year career.

After an 11 minute scoreless stretch, Franklin tacked on her second of the game with 12:33 on the clock. Smith and Zoe Merz (Westminster, Md./Westminster) rounded out the first half scoring for Goucher (4-1). The Vixens (0-2) got on the scoreboard with a goal from Monica Ewansik in the final minute of the half.

Gopher freshman Rachel Grosso (Haworth, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest) got things going after the intermission, taking a pass from Smith and firing a shot past goalie Emily Williams for her first goal of the season. Sweet Briar would register the next two goals of the game, but Goucher tallied seven of the final eight markers to seal its fourth win in five matchups this season.

Smith picked up five points in a game for the second time this season, and she has three or more points in all four of the Gophers' victories. Franklin, meanwhile, added a team-high six draw controls, and she has now won 13 draws over the last two games.

Three of Goucher's four victories in 2015 have come by double digits, with the team jumping out to a first minute advantage in each of those wins.

The Gophers return to Beldon Field at 5 p.m. Wednesday for a challenging matchup against St. Mary's (Md.). The Seahawks, who have defeated Goucher in each of the last four seasons, are off to a 4-0 start this winter.