Royals Dominate Spartans
YORK, Pa.—Sophomore forward Samantha Russo (Yorktown Heights, NY/Yorktown) picked up where she left off last year in The University of Scranton's 4-0 season-opening victory over York College of Pennsylvania Thursday afternoon.
Russo, the 2010 Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year and a first-team selection, scored two goals and junior midfielder Sarah Gibbons (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township) and junior back Amanda Kresge (Clifton, NJ/Immaculate Heart Academy) added one apiece as the Royals won their third straight season-opening match. Scranton also received two assists from junior midfielder Sydney Parker (Randolph, NJ/Randolph).
Russo scored what turned out to be the match-winning goal in the 21st minute, unassisted, to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. Scranton broke it open early in the second half when Parker served up a corner kick to Gibbons, who responded by scoring the third goal of her career in the 51st minute. Seven minutes later, Russo drilled a shot from 25 yards out to extend the lead to 3-0.
On another corner kick, Kresge knocked in a ball served up by Parker to set the final score in the 70th minute.
Defensively, the Royals limited the Spartans to just one shot on goal, which sophomore keeper Kelsy McAnelly (West Chester, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) was able to stop.
Russo's two goals this evening give her 11 in 23 matches in her career. Tonight's match was the first meeting ever between Scranton and York College in women's soccer.
The Royals will return to action on Saturday, September 3, against the Pioneers of William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey, beginning at 1:00 p.m.
