RedStorm women rout Bluefield in season opener

Rio Grande Sports Information
     BLUEFIELD, W.Va. - Morgan Fannin scored a pair of goals and Amora Albano had three assists to lead the University of Rio Grande to a 4-1 win over Bluefield (Va.) University, Thursday afternoon, in non-conference women's soccer action at the East River Soccer Complex.
     The RedStorm also got a goal from freshman Elise Alexander (Cincinnati, OH) and an assist from junior Madison McKenzie (Tipp City, OH) in the contest, which served as the season opener for both teams.
     The RedStorm controlled the match from the outset, enjoying a 21-4 advantage in shots and a 15-2 edge in shots on frame.
     Rio Grande opened the scoring just under 17-1/2 minutes into the game when Albano - a sophomore from Albany, Ohio - played the ball ahead from the right wing to senior Amelia Willis (Waverly, OH), who pushed a shot past BU goal keeper Autumn Matthews for a 1-0 lead.
     The cushion grew to 2-0 with a little less than four minutes left in first half when Fannin, a sophomore from Circleville, Ohio headed in a crossing pass from the right side by Albano.
     Fannin's second score came with 26:16 left in the match when she beat Matthews in a 1-v-1 situation after pulling in a thru ball from McKenzie in the 18-yard box.
     Alexander tacked on Rio's final goal with 17:10 remaining with an open net score off a pass from the left side on a drive by Albano toward the goal.
     The host Rams avoided a shutout with 3:47 left to play when Sara Cox found the back of the net off of a pass from Savannah Holmes.
     Senior net-minder Alba Vilades Marin (Barcelona, Spain) recorded one save in the victory for Rio Grande.
     Matthews had 11 saves in the loss for Bluefield.
     Rio Grande is slated to return to action next Wednesday when it hosts the University of Cincinnati-Clermont for a 5 p.m. kickoff at Evan E. Davis Field.