BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Villanova had a scoring bonanza that saw eight different Wildcats score goals in a 9-0 victory on Sunday afternoon at Ulrich Sports Complex in Bethlehem, Pa.
The nine goals scored were the most for Villanova (1-0-1) since an 11-0 victory against St. Peter's on Sept. 11, 2007 and are tied for the seventh-most scored in a single game in program history. The Wildcats have also gone back-to-back meetings with Lehigh (0-2) without allowing a goal by the Mountain Hawks, moving the scoring differential during their current four-game unbeaten streak in the series to 18-1 since 2018.
Of the eight Wildcats who scored goals,
Morgan Kotch led the way with two goals in her four shot attempts.
Tea Gambardella,
Kaydee Amorosa,
Becca Miller and
Abby Graul all tacked on their first collegiate goals, as well.
Kotch brought fireworks early for the Wildcats with a brace in the first five minutes of action. In the fourth minute,
Avrie Nelsen went charging toward the goal line before sending a pass inside the box that found Kotch. She sent a sliding one-timer toward the net that went past Lehigh's keeper Chloe Zipprich and into the opposite side of the net for a 1-0 lead. That goal at the 3:28 mark was the fastest-goal scored by a Wildcat since Susanna Soderman scored a goal 51 seconds into a road match at Cornell on Sept. 14, 2024.
The junior striker needed just one minute and 22 seconds to notch the second brace of her career.
Villanova was awarded a corner kick that
Sophia Miller sent into the box. After bouncing around,
Dez Zapata sent a chance that was saved by Zipprich. Kotch grabbed the redirect and sent it into the net for a 2-0 advantage.
In the ninth minute, a foul was whistled in the box, giving the 'Cats a chance to extend their lead.
Gabby Koluch lined up for the penalty kick that she successfully converted, marking the second made PK of the senior's career.
Lehigh had just one chance in the first half that landed on frame with Sofia Bollman heading a chance that was easily saved by
Hannah Dickinson in the 22
nd minute.
By the halftime break, Villanova led shots by a substantial 12-2 margin. Of the nine Wildcats who had shot attempts in the frame, Kotch led the way with three chances and two on goal.
Momentum stayed with the Blue and White early in the second half with Amarosa scoring her first goal as a Wildcat.
Isabelle Chukwu evaded a pair of Mountain Hawk defenders just above the left corner of the 18-yard box to send a look over to the sophomore at the top of the box. She got a chance off before a Lehigh defender could reach her that flew past Zipprich and into the net for a 4-0 lead in the 53
rd minute.
Villanova's lead extended yet again in the 70
th minute with
Ryley Dixon sending a strong chance toward the goal. The ball hit off the left post and was picked up by
Amalia Cardo, punching it into the net for a 5-0 lead.
The final 15 minutes brought a scoring fury for the Wildcats as they added on three goals.
Graul started the blitz with an unassisted chance inside the goal box in the 76
th minute after Zipprich tried to coral a bobbled ball but was unable to grasp it. It was Miller's turn in the 81
st minute, heading in a chance after a cross in from
Meghan White to make it 7-0.
Nearly a minute and a half later, Zapata put herself in the score column.
Gabby Koluch pushed a pass up ahead to the junior in the right side of the 18-yard box that she sent sailing to the opposite side of the net for an 8-9 lead. Gambardella netted an immaculate dagger in the 89
th minute, floating a shot in from well outside the 18-yard box for the final 9-0 tally.
Dickinson picked up the win with just one save on the day, logging a combined shutout with
Natalie Mutschler after she came into net in the 62 minute. The Wildcat defense shutdown any shot chances for Lehigh in the second half, outshooting the Mountain Hawks 23-2 on the day, 12-1 for shots on goal.
Villanova takes over a week away from action before hitting the road to Columbia on August 27. Kickoff from New York, N.Y. is set for 6 p.m.
