SAN DIEGO – Three Wildcats scored hat tricks in Villanova's first game at the Aztec Invitational on Friday, picking up a 14-9 over St. Francis at the Aztec Aquaplex.
After trailing through the first quarter, Villanova (9-8) pieced together three consecutive four-goal periods to win.
Stella Byles,
Emily Morrissey and
Amelia Baca each netted three goals in the victory. Morrissey led the team with six points, adding three assists to her hat trick.
Gracin Kerry took the win in net for the 'Cats, allowing five goals with three saves in the first half.
Sarah Shaw closed out the game with four goals allowed and five saves, one of those during a St. Francis (6-12) powerplay.
Emese Szucs got the scoring started for St. Francis nearly two minutes in before Morrissey and Baca put the 'Cats ahead with 3:03 remaining. Abigail Carter commanded the rest of the period for the Red Flash, scoring a pair to put her side ahead 3-2 through the first.
The second period brought a hot start for the 'Cats. Baca opened up a 3-0 scoring run that also saw Byles and Morrissey help give Villanova a 5-3 lead almost halfway through the quarter. Baca was whistled for a penalty at the 4:14 mark, setting St. Francis up for a five-meter attempt. Caylah Olay connected on the chance, cutting the Villanova lead to one. Byles answered a short time later to get the advantage back to a pair, but Olay scored again, making it a 6-5 contest at the half.
It took a little under two minutes into the third quarter for momentum to get back on Villanova's side.
Allie Hansen and
Adrienne Grimes scored a pair, putting Villanova back up by two at 8-5. Both sides added a pair of tallies to their scoresheets in the final three minutes of the period, keeping Villanova's advantage at three with a 10-7 score heading into the final quarter.
Byles grabbed her hat trick early in the fourth, swelling the lead to 11-7. St. Francis made the most of a powerplay with 6:07 remaining as Taylor Halbauer trimmed the lead back down to three. Baca and Morrissey both joined Byles in the three-goal club just 31 seconds apart from each other, building a 13-8 advantage for the Blue and White. Szucs got a goal back late, but
Anna Painter had the dagger with 37 seconds remaining.
Szucs led the Red Flash with a hat trick of her own, scoring on three of her five attempts. She added an assist for a team-high four points.
Villanova takes on the hosting San Diego State Aztecs at 5 p.m.
