Box Score

MADISON, N.J. - Four different members of The University of Scranton women's soccer team scored goals, as the Royals rode another dominant night on the defensive end to coast to a 4-0 victory at Drew on Wednesday in Landmark Conference action.

The victory for the 20th-ranked Royals continued an incredible start to the season, as Scranton is now 12-0-0 on the year overall and 4-0-0 in Landmark play. With tonight's victory, the Royals have already surpassed the win total of the 2019 squad (who finished 11-5-5), as the 12-0-0 start continues to be one of the best in the history of the program.

Drew dropped to 6-6-1 and 1-2-1 in the Landmark with the defeat.

As has seemingly been the theme in every Landmark Conference contest the Royals have played in this year, Scranton got off to a fast start and never looked back.

After holding a sizeable edge on shots throughout the opening half, senior Hope Drewes (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) finally cracked a scoreless tie in the 31st minute, scoring her second goal in three games (and second eventual game-winner) off an assist from fellow senior Isabella DiBenedetto (Glen Cove, N.Y./North Shore).

The 1-0 lead held for Scranton into the second half, where three separate players scored goals to put the Rangers away for good for the evening.

First, in the 67th minute, sophomore Emily Tantala (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) scored her second goal of the season off an assist from freshman Emily Bannon (Middletown, N.Y./Minisink Valley) to give the Royals the 2-0 edge. For Bannon, it was her third assist of the year.

Then, in the 73rd minute, senior Jessica Letherbarrow (Westtown, N.Y./John S. Burke Catholic) scored her third goal of the year off a corner kick from DiBenedetto to put the Royals up for good at 3-0. For Letherbarrow, it was her third goal of the year, while DiBenedetto now has four assists for the year and recorded the first multiple-assist game of her career in the victory.

Finally, in the 85th minute, sophomore Niamh Healy (Orangeburg, N.Y./Tappan Zee) ended the scoring for the night, putting her fifth goal of the year into the back of the net after breaking free from the defense and beating the Drew goalie. Fellow sophomore Mary Haggerty (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) was credited with an assist on the play, her fourth of the year.

The multiple-goal edge was more than enough for the dominant Scranton defense to work with, as they once again held an opponent to limited chances in a contest on their way to their 10th shutout of the year.

In all, Drew only fired three shots the entire match, but two of those were on goal and stopped by senior goalie Amanda Steinberg (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North) who notched her sixth solo shutout of the year in the win.

On the night, Scranton went on to outshoot Drew 24-3 and hold a decisive 10-1 edge on corner kicks.

The University of Scranton women's soccer team returns to action on Saturday, as they come back home to Weiss Field for a Landmark Conference showdown with Catholic. Action gets underway at 1 p.m.

--ROYALS--