UNION, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Kean University scored seven times in the first 40 minutes of the game and cruised past the New Jersey City University women's soccer team, 8-0, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game under the lights on September 30 at Kean's Alumni Stadium.
 
Despite the lopsided result, Kean (5-4-1, 1-1-1 NJAC) only outshot NJCU (3-5-1, 0-2-0 NJAC), 29-11 in the game. However, the Cougars put 69 percent of their shots on goal—20 of 29. Kean led 7-0 at the half, outshooting the Knights, 19-5, in the opening period.  
 
Kaitlyn Pallitto contributed to each of the first four goals for Kean, scoring the first and second tallies in the 7th and 15th minutes, assisting on the third goal in the 18th minute, before putting the Cougars up 4-0 just 2:02 later as she netted a hat trick in a span of 13:31 to give her eight goals on the season.
 
Gabrielle Cucinotta scored her first two goals of the season in the 18th and 40th minutes and assisted on the opening goal 6:19 in the game, to finish with five points. Brittany Birth contributed a pair of assists for Kean.
 
Emily Jurcsek, Grace O'Brien and Deanna Columbia each added single goals for Kean. Angie Lopez, Gabrielle Azzari, and Sabrina Sirni provided the other assists.
 
Leading 5-0, Kean scored two goals in a span of 1:46 at 37:59 and 39:45 to push the lead to 7-0 before the 40 minute mark.
 
Under heavy pressure, senior goalkeeper Cassie Lubonski (Edison, NJ/Edison) notched 12 saves. It was her third career effort of double figure saves.
 
KC Nunez started for Kean and made one save in the first 24:58 before Lauren Healey came on for the final 65:02 to stop four shots.
 
Freshman forward Katherin Merino (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) had five of NJCU's 11 shots, putting two on goal. Birth had a game-high seven shots for Kean with five on goal. Pallitto put four of her five shots on goal.
 
OF NOTE:

• Kean leads the all-time series, 21-1

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU will return home to face Rutgers University-Newark in an NJAC game—weather-permitting—on Saturday, October 3 at 1 p.m. at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field. The Scarlet Raiders lead the all-time series, 13-2, including a 3-0 win in Newark, NJ in the last meeting on October 4, 2014.