Eagles Soar Past Hatters, 5-1, at Scicluna Field

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's soccer team scored its most goals in nearly two years as the Eagles soared past Stetson University, 5-1, at Scicluna Field, Friday Sept. 20. EMU (2-4-1) finished its second match of five straight at home, improving to 2-1-0 on home soil.

Five different Eagles scored goals, and three of them tallied an assist to go with their score. Martha Stevens (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.- Marian), Megan Trapp (Plymouth, Mich. -Canton) and Angela Vultaggio (Chesterfield, Mich. -L'Anse Creuse North) each recorded a goal and an assist. Cara Cutaia (Burlington, Ontario-Notre Dame Catholic) found the net for a team-leading fourth time this season, and freshman Stef Barcelos (Mississauga, Ontario-St. Marcellinus) scored the first goal of her career on a 30-yard floater over Stetson goalkeeper Victoria Troccoli.

Megan McCabe (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Prospect) (2-4-1) stopped six-of-seven shots to earn the victory between the posts for the Green and White, allowing the lone Stetson goal in the 87th minute. Trocolli (2-4-1), a Michigan native, made three saves for the Hatters (2-4-1). Stetson outshot EMU, 19-12, but the Eagles sent eight of their shots on goal compared to Stetson's seven on goal.

EMU wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. In the fifth minute, Vultaggio raced toward the goal, and Trocolli came up to challenge. The savvy junior was able to clear the ball, and Stevens easily sent her second goal of the season into the open net, giving Eastern the early 1-0 lead.

Nearly thirty minutes later, Stevens became the one to provide an assist. After receiving a pass from senior Stephanie Clarke (London, Ontario-St. Thomas Aquinas), the junior from Bloomfield Hills, Mich. led Cutaia toward the net, who sent the ball past the diving SU goalkeeper for the score.

The Eagles would complete the first half scoring on a rare play. Picking up the ball as it rolled towards the net, McCabe sent a blast past midfield to Trapp. Trapp proceeded to quickly fire the ball to Vultaggio, and the EMU forward hit a strike to the back of the net, putting the Eagles up, 3-0, after the game's first 45 minutes. Both teams attempted eight shots in the first half. In the opening stanza, McCabe made four saves compared to just two for Troccoli.

EMU increased its lead in the 50th minute on a superb shot by Barcelos. From over thirty yards out, the EMU freshman struck a perfect floater over the outstretched Troccoli, under the crossbar and into the net, making the match 4-0.

Freshman Madison Hirsch (Troy, Mich.-Troy) bent a free kick around the Stetson defenders into Trapp, and she put a sharp header in for a goal, giving her team a five-goal advantage with just 16:51 left to play. Stetson would prevent the shutout with a goal 13 minutes later. Alyssa Welsh's shot from the middle of the box slid past a diving McCabe to score the game's final goal, making it 5-1 in favor of the Eagles. The five goals for EMU were the most scored since the Eagles defeated Ball State by the same, 5-1, margin, Oct. 21, 2011.

The Green and White remain in Ypsilanti for a Sunday afternoon matchup against Indiana State University, recognizing the match as Cancer Awareness Day. The Eagles will don teal armbands, headbands and special white jerseys with teal-colored numbers, the color of ovarian cancer awareness. Following the match, the jerseys will be auctioned off with proceeds going to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. With a minimum required bid of $100, each jersey will go to the highest bidder. Kickoff for the contest against the Sycamores is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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Team Stats

Angela Vultaggio

Megan Trapp

Martha Stevens

Cara Cutaia

Eastern Michigan Athletics