Gophers Ensure Winning Season with Rout of Gators

BALTIMORE, Md. — Goucher scored early and often in this afternoon, and by the time the final whistle sounded, the Gophers had clinched their first winning season since 2006.

Jessica Borucki (Westminster, Md./North Carroll) tallied five goals and four assists, while Jojo Franklin (Denver, Colo./Kent Denver School) registered six assists, the most for a Goucher player since 2011, as the visitors rolled to a 17-3 victory. Nine different players scored for the Gophers to help ensure a winning campaign with four regular season contests still remaining on the schedule.

Franklin added one goal, a solo strike to open up the scoring, to finish with seven points overall. Goucher's lead was only 2-1 through the first 10 minutes, but three straight markers from Borucki, Zoe Merz (Westminster, Md./Westminster) and Rita Meissner (Yonkers, N.Y./Yonkers) created some breathing space. Merz would go on to complete a first half hat trick with 13:02 to spare.

Four of Borucki's goals came before the intermission, and her nine points were the most for a Gopher this season. Meissner added a second  tally, and Dani McCreary (Upper Marlboro, Md./Bishop McNamara) scored her eighth goal of 2015 to send the Gators (4-3) to an 11-3 halftime deficit.

Rachel Grosso (Haworth, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest), who dished out her first assist of the year earlier in the game, led the second half attack with two goals. Stefi Perry (Houston, Texas/Klein) assisted on a goal for Anneke Ossorio (Lafayette, Colo./Kent Denver School), and she scored one of her own midway through the frame. Meissner finished off the scoring with her third of the contest in the closing minutes.

Thirteen of Goucher's 17 goals were assisted. The last player to match Franklin's game total of six was Becca Smith during a 21-2 triumph over West Virginia Wesleyan on April 27, 2011.

Most of the stats supported the final scoreline. The Gophers held a 30-6 advantage in shots, and they won 15 of 21 draw controls. Goucher also picked up 33 ground balls compared to 24 for the hosts. Franklin led the way with six ground balls, five draw controls and four caused turnovers, while Claire Lippay (Jenkintown, Pa./Jenkintown) and Kat Carnevale (Portland, Ore./St. Mary's Academy) each totaled four ground balls and three caused turnovers.

Today's win was the second in a row for the Gophers (9-4). They will look to make it three straight on Friday night, when Southwestern (Texas) comes to Beldon Field for a matchup scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.