CHESTER, Pa. – Five Pioneers combined to score three goals in each half and a sturdy back line fortified the William Paterson women's soccer team (1-1) in a commanding 6-1 victory at Widener (1-1) Sept. 3.
 
The Pioneers established the advantage early thanks to a goal from sophomore forward Marisa Adelman (Branchburg, N.J./Somerville) (Branchburg, N.J./Somerville), who used an assist from senior midfielder Lauren McHugh (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) to create a 1-0 edge in the seventh minute.
 
Only eight minutes later, senior back Adrianna Oliveira (Union, N.J./Union) (Union, N.J./Union) showcased both a strong leg and technical touch when she swept in to intercept a goal kick before launching a shot from around 40 yards out and into a vacated goal, creating a 2-0 lead in the 15th minute.
 
Play settled into the middle of the field for the majority of the remaining minutes of the first half until WP went back to the long ball in the 44th minute of play to take the 3-0 upper hand. With open field in front of her, senior back Ellie Palmer (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek) (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek) played a ball into the box from near midfield that bounced once and met the head of the streaking freshman midfielder Danielle Dachowski (Roxbury, N.J./Roxbury) (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury), redirecting the ball into the net.
 
It remained 3-0 well into the second half before a flurry of goals pushed the game out of reach in favor of the Pioneers.
 
Sophomore midfielder Kristen Bowe (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls) (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls), a 2016 All-NJAC performer, picked up where she left off last season, helping in two scores within a 63-second span. First, Bowe volleyed a punch out from senior goalkeeper Sam Thach into the back of the net in the 77th minute, and after a quick reset at midfield found Adelman with a long ball for her classmate to tuck inside the left post, making it 5-0 Pioneers.
 
Dachowski nearly had two goals to her name when she lofted a shot from 20 yards out that caromed off the crossbar. Instead she was instead credited with an assist when a favorable bounce off the missed shot set up sophomore Carla LaRocca (East Brunswick, N.J./East Brunswick) (East Brunswick, N.J./East Brunswick), who finished into an empty goal for a 6-0 lead in the 85th minute.
 
The Pioneer backline, including senior back Diana Perez (Ocean Twp., N.J./Ocean Twp.) (Ocean Twp., N.J./Ocean Twp.) and sophomore back Ashley Cozzi (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) among others, handled consistent pressure from Widener all game until the Pride finally found a crack in WP's armor in the 89th minute. Sophomore forward Lexi Slusher chipped a pass from the top left corner of the box onto senior midfielder Lara Houck for a header that made the score 6-1.
 
WP narrowly edged Widener in shots, 18-15, and shots on goal, 11-10, but senior goalkeeper Angela Sandelli (Landing, N.J./Roxbury) (Landing, N.J./Roxbury) made nine saves to just five by Thach.
 
The Pioneers finish up their three-game stretch of road games to start the season when they head to Centenary (N.J.) on Wednesday, Sept. 6. The opening kickoff is slated for 4 p.m.
 
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