Cardinals keep it rolling with 5-0 win at Randolph-Macon

ASHLAND, Va. – The Cardinals made it through the first week of the season without any losses and also without surrendering any goals as CUA blanked Randolph-Macon 5-0 on Sunday afternoon to improve to 3-0.  Mary Swarthout scored twice for the Cardinals as CUA unleashed an offensive assault on opponents this past week, outscoring their counterparts a combined 23-0.

"Today was a much different game than our first two this week," explained Cardinals head coach Gia Cillizza afterwards.  "This was a battle; it was much closer than the score may indicate.  It was very physical out there and this was a tough game for us."

She continued, "To play three games in one week and come away with three wins is great.  Today was a different type of game than the first two though.  It was on the road, it was on grass, but I thought we did the things we needed to, to win.  We were mentally into it."

CUA once again held the advantage in shots, out shooting Randolph-Macon 16-9 on Sunday, while both teams were awarded five penalty corners.  Krystyanna Ramsdell registered her third straight win in goal as she sent back five shots in 70 minutes of work and Yellow Jackets goalkeeper Nicole Woodworth stopped nine shots.

Unlike its first two games when it scored in the opening minutes of play, CUA had to wait until the 18th minute on Sunday before Swarthout took a pass from Tracey Scanlon and found the back of the cage for a 1-0 lead.  Swarthout made it a 2-0 lead for the visitors ten minutes later when she netted an unassisted goal and that is the way the game remained until halftime.

Catherine Mirsky was awarded a penalty stroke 50 seconds into the second half and she cashed in with the Cardinals third goal of the afternoon, while Meredith Chandler’s unassisted score at the 48:32 mark pushed CUA’s lead to four.

Abby Banholzer then put the finishing touches on a terrific week for the Cardinals as she scored with just under eight minutes to play to give CUA yet another shutout victory.

The 3-0 start to the season is the Cardinals second straight after they also reeled off three straights wins to begin 2009.  "I think our start is contributed to a few things," Cillizza said.  "We have terrific leadership from our captains and our entire senior class.  We're really playing together and offensively our midfield is very attack-oriented, so a combination of each of those things has helped us get off to this strong start."

CUA will now take a few days to rest before returning to action on Friday, September 10 when the Cardinals travel to take on Washington & Lee underneath the lights.  Game time is set for 7:00.