MOON TOWNSHIP– On a rainy Sunday afternoon at the North Athletic Complex, Robert Morris women’s soccer reigned victorious over Wright State in a final score of 4-2.
The Colonials controlled possession right out of the gate, which stayed true throughout the match. Early on they had some chances from being quick to the ball and making fast decisions.
“We talk about our mentality all the time,” Head Coach Chris Shaw said. “We want to have the same mentality in minute one as we do at minute ninety, and not take plays off or get lackadaisical based on the score-line.”
The Colonials’ strong state of mind paid off as they got an early goal in the eighth minute. Malia Kearns recorded her first of the game when Wright State keeper Kiera Sarka dropped Kearns’s shot, having it roll in behind her to put the Colonials ahead 1-0.
Though RMU was outshooting the Raiders, Caitlin Burger of Wright State got one on net, scoring in the thirteenth minute on Colonials keeper Brenna Murray. The 1-1 tie score brought a dogfight between both teams, as the aggression amped up and there were many fouls on both sides.
The thirtieth minute brought two quick back-to-back shots for the Colonials, one by Elisa Corvalan and another by Lidia Nduka, but both were saved. Although RMU would not go long without scoring, as in the 38th minute, Kearns got her second of the game off an assist from Julia Becerra. Kearns shot the ball from far out and curved beautifully into the back of the net, making it 2-1.
Heading into halftime, the Colonials stayed up by one goal and outshot the Raiders in the first half, recording nine shots to Wright State’s five.
Despite being up a goal, the Colonials did not let up on the pressure at the start of the second half. They still had a fire lit beneath them and in just the first six minutes in they recorded three shots on goal, one every two minutes, keeping Wright State on their toes.
In the sixtieth minute, the Colonials had great ball movement off of a throw-in, passing across the line to the feet of Malia Kearns. She recorded a hattrick with a hard shot right in the low back corner of the net.
When speaking about her goals, the third one was certainly the favorite of the sophomore forward.
“The third goal, my first hat trick of the year and of my whole career. That was pretty cool,” Kearns said.
She would not let up at three goals, finding a fourth in the 75th minute. Wright State was getting increasingly frustrated and in a mix-up trying to speak to the referees, Kearns spoke back with finding the back of the net for her fourth and final goal of the game, bringing the Colonials ahead 4-1.
“We knew when we recruited her that she was a special player,” Coach Shaw said. “She had a good year last year as a freshman being on the Horizon League All-Freshman Team, but we knew there was more there. Now she is showing what she is really capable of doing, being more of an offensive threat and getting the end product.”
Though Kearns certainly was the game’s MVP, it took a team effort and each player for RMU played their part.
“It started with our defense winning balls and getting the ball to me, that always helps,” Kearns said. “And the celebrations and having everyone there is pretty cool.”
The Colonials dominated the match, but with fifteen seconds left, Wright State could bump up their score one more after a foul on Taylor Day allowed a free kick right outside the goal, making the final score 4-2.
“This team is mentally tough, and I think talent-wise this is the most talented team we have had here at RMU, certainly in my time here,” Coach Shaw said. “I tell them all the time, we don’t want to win games 2-0 or 2-1, we want to win games 4-1, 5-1…we like to play an attacking style of soccer. To do that, you must constantly be looking to go and get the ball forward, scoring goals.”
Robert Morris looks to keep scoring goals and stay on the up as next on their slate is Carlow on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. at Highmark Stadium.
