Moon Township, Pa. – The Robert Morris University women's soccer team jumped out to an early 3-0 lead as they easily defeated visiting Canisius College, 4-1, at North Athletic Complex Sunday afternoon. The win is the second of the season for an RMU squad that moves to 2-5 on the year. The Golden Griffs fall to 2-5-2 overall.
 
The Colonials senior class accounted for three goals and three assists in the game. Senior Cassie Raymond tallied her first two markers of the season while classmate Madison Kozlowski also found the scoring column. Senior Kristie Hamilton picked up three assists, tied for second most in team history.
 
"At times, we are playing well and doing good things, especially those seniors," said head coach John Kowalski. "At times, we are a little bit inconsistent, so we are trying to get them to the level that they are more consistent and can provide us with the leadership we need in conference play.
 
"It was so important for us to jump on them early before they got a feel for the game, and we did," Kowalski continued. "We actually practiced against the offside trap yesterday and we talked about it after last Sunday's game against Niagara. During the week, we went through a number of things – who's making runs, what kind of runs and how to stay on-side."
 
And it didn't take long for the Colonials to take what they had learned on the practice field and put it into place on the game field. After having a goal waved off in the opening minute due to an offside call, they quickly figured out the Griffs backline. Similar to their first opportunity, Kristie Hamilton played a diagonal ball through the Canisius defense to Antonia Grese running into the box. Grese had plenty of time and picked the bottom right corner for her second marker of the season in the third minute.
 
A cross from Kasia Bak in the 11th minute found Cassie Raymond in the center of the box. Raymond out-dueled a Griffs defender to tally her first goal of the year in the 11th minute. Just 59 seconds later, Hamilton set up the team's third goal. This time, her lead pass gave Madison Kozlowski a breakaway. Kozlowski's first goal of the year was slotted into the left corner. The goals were the third fastest consecutive goals in team history.
 
Canisius got on the board with an innocent looking play along the right endline that was set up by a Taylor Kugler pass and turned into the first goal for the Griffs in the 43rd minute. That's where Emma Westwater was able to find space inside the near right post with a tough angle shot that made it 3-1 at halftime.
 
The Colonials capped the scoring in the 57th minute as Anni Varjonen started a counter-attack out of the back by finding Hamilton near midfield. Hamilton's pass down the right wing found Raymond who beat one defender, carried to the center of box before burying her second of the game inside the right post.
 
Robert Morris will travel nearly 2,000 miles to Flagstaff, Arizona, to take part in Northern Arizona's Mountain Classic next weekend. The Colonials meet Grand Canyon University Friday, Sept. 18, at 6:00 p.m. Eastern.