COLUMBIA, S.C. - CIU Women's Soccer started conference play with a blowout win against the Union College Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon. The Rams saw scoring from a slew of players as CIU scored the most goals in an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) game in program history. With the win, CIU moves to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the AAC.

Scoring Summary:
The Rams were on the attack early as Arianna Elliott scored the game's first goal and her second goal of the season just over five minutes into the first half. Amber McKinley followed that goal with a score of her own at the 34:15 minute mark. CIU would score their third and final goal of the half at the 40:42 minute mark as Makenzy Dupree found the back of the net with an assist by Haley Hernandez. The Rams led at the half 3 to 0. 

In the second half, the Rams struck early with a goal by Leaoness Hinojos. Then, Mazzie Leos would find the back of the net shortly after to put the Rams up 5 to 0. Haley Hernandez scored the final goal for the Rams, which Makenzy Dupree would assist on at the 56:18 minute mark. The Bulldogs Rita Pereira added a goal late to avoid the shutout to make the final score 6 to 1.

The Rams were aggressive the entire match recording 29 shots, 18 of which were on goal. Senior Goalkeeper Emily Nelson would get her first start of the 2021 season and recorded two saves, and only allowed one goal to the Bulldogs. 

What Coach Kara Lail is saying:
"It was an exciting win and a great way to start conference play. We love to see so many different players finding the back of the net. We are proud of how the girls battled and bounced back after a tough loss."

What's Next:
The Rams look to build on this win as they travel to Knoxville, Tennessee, for another AAC match against Johnson University (Tenn.) Thursday, Sept. 16 at 5 PM.