Women’s soccer makes winning a habit

Field Hockey Falls; Volleyball Splits Field Hockey Muhlenberg hung tough with 16th-ranked Montclair State but come out on the losing end of a 2-1 decision. Both of the Red Hawks’ goals came off nearly identical penalty corners, the second with 12:16 left to break a 1-1 tie. After Montclair’s first goal, 10 minutes into the game, the Mules (1-3) drew even when junior Nicki Notarianni put in the rebound of her own saved shot four minutes later. The teams went back and forth early in the second half, both creating good scoring chances. Muhlenberg forced a defensive save with 19 minutes left, and less than two minutes later senior back Kristin Garbutt made a fantastic save, stopping a hard blast off a corner at the goal line. Senior Michelle Consiglio recorded 12 saves, the second-highest total of her career, to keep the Mules close. Click here for box score. Volleyball Muhlenberg split for the second straight day at the Scranton Invitational, coming back after an opening loss to FDU-Florham to defeat Wilkes. Because the field was trimmed to seven teams when two schools dropped out, the tournament followed a predetermined schedule instead of the normal pools format. The Mules (9-4) were one of three teams to tie for third with a 2-2 record. Junior Christina Cangelosi was named to the all-tournament team. She had 55 digs in the tournament, including 22 in the second Wilkes match. Click here for box scores.

The Muhlenberg women’s soccer team put another one in the record books. After defeating Scranton last week for the first time ever and getting off to a 4-0 start, the best in program history, the Mules one-upped themselves with another win, beating Neumann 7-0.

“It’s great having a record reflect what we can do. That

It was that kind of a night for the Knights, who were outshot 40-2.

gives us confidence,” said sophomore Lauren Petri, who scored her first career goal in the first half. “It lets us know we can play with anybody.”

And with the winning streak going, the team isn’t taking any chances.

“There’s a certain way we have to sit on the bench,” said junior Caryn Viverito. “No one can sit to the left of me.”

The Mules also have a ritual that reminds them what they’re capable of if they work as a team.

“We wear these little metal links strapped to our sports bras. Individually it’s just a link. Together it’s a chain. It pulls everyone together and reminds us what we can achieve.”

Against Neumann the team achieved its third shutout. Junior Kimberly Hacker knocked in her second goal of the season in the first half. Junior Jennifer Lynch and freshman Renee Dessimone also found the back of the net in the first.

Freshmen Nicolette Miller, Meghan O’Grady and Dessimone scored for the Mules in the second half, Dessimone putting in her seventh goal in five games. Juniors Christina O’Grady and Kasey Hacker and sophomore Kimberly Schmidt had assists.

“I love the attitude and energy going on,” said Viverito. “Winning is what is keeping us winning. We have a record to keep up.”
Click here for box score.