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PHILADELPHIA -- Mandy Merritt became the fifth player in Delaware women's soccer history to record a hat trick when she scored in sudden-death overtime to defeat LaSalle in a driving rainstorm, 4-3, Sunday afternoon. Merritt scored the game-winner 5:53 into overtime. The junior from Grimsby, Ontario joins Karen Rober, Deb Flowers, Beth Hatt and Kate Townsley as the only Blue Hen women's soccer players to record three or more goals in a game. Townsley was the last to achieve the mark back on Sept. 11, 1996 against Loyola (MD). Delaware, which scored just 19 goals in 18 games all of last season, waisted no time in getting on the board this season. Nicole Spadafino scored on a head ball off of Tracy Cantwell's corner kick to give Delaware (1-0) a 1-0 lead just 39 seconds into the season. Lara Wean tied the game for LaSalle at 28:21, beating Blue Hen netminder Rachel Bersin. Merritt responded by staking the Blue Hens to a 3-1 lead with a goal just 47 seconds before halftime on a breakaway, and again 8:04 into the second half off of a feed from Spadafino. However, LaSalle (1-2) rallied on goals by Patricia Gauss and Erin Lenox to tie the game. Gauss scored at 28:25 of the second half, while Lenox scored with just 1:31 remaining in regulation. Merritt moved into fourth place on UD's career goal list by raising her total to 16 and a tie for sixth on the career point list with 36. Bersin, making her first collegiate appearance and start, recorded four saves in picking up the win. The Blue Hens continue their five-game road trip to start the season at Maryland-Baltimore County Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. AGATE Delaware...........2...1...1...- 4 LaSalle............1...2...0...- 3 SCORING: First half: UD - Spadafino (Cantwell) :39; L - Wean (Parson) 28:21; Merritt (Brino) 44:13. Second half: UD - Merritt (Spadafino) 8:04; Gauss (Gavaghan, Lenox) 28:25; Lennon (Gavaghan, Wilson) 43:29. Overtime: Merritt (Pollaro) 5:53. SHOTS: UD 21, L 17. SAVES: UD - Bersin 4; L - Glass 9. CORNER KICKS: UD 7, L 1. - DDD - |
