CAMDEN, N.J. (Sept. 21, 2022) – For half of its game here Wednesday afternoon, the Rutgers University-Camden women's soccer team held powerful Messiah University to one goal.
 
The third-ranked team in the country ramped up its attack in the second half, however, and Messiah ended up with a 5-0 win over the Scarlet Raptors.
 
The Falcons improved to 6-0-1, while the Raptors dropped to 1-4-1.
 
Rutgers-Camden actually took the first shot of the game when sophomore Alyssa Monti hit a high shot over goal in the fifth minute. The Falcons, however, controlled the opening half with their precision passing and scored in the 14th minute on a header by sophomore back Julia Martin, off a corner kick from senior midfielder Kenzie Spodnik.
 
In the second half, the visitors added an insurance goal in the 66th minute when senior Kylie Firestone scored off a loose ball near the left post. They added an own goal following a corner kick in the 72nd minute and tacked on their final two goals in a 28-second span late in the game. Freshman Hannah Adair scored at 86:50 from inside the box on the left side, assisted by senior Maddie Hughes, while freshman Lydia Ring added a goal at 87:18, assisted by senior Korinne Kovatch.
 
Although Messiah controlled the play, the Falcons only managed nine shots, with seven on goal. Rutgers-Camden finished with four shots, with the only one on goal coming in the second half off the foot of sophomore back Amy Maurer. The Raptors' best scoring chance came in the 54th minute when a shot by sophomore midfielder Josie Jackson-Conner was cleared near the goal line by Falcon defender Jenna Skurcenski.
 
Messiah held an 8-0 advantage in corner kicks.
 
Raptor junior keeper Kayla McKeever made two saves, while freshman Ava Wert started for the Falcons and made one save in her 78:19 of playing time. Junior Raegan Salamone finished the combined shutout without needing to make a save.
 
The Scarlet Raptors travel to William Paterson University for a 1 p.m. New Jersey Athletic Conference game on Saturday.