MEDIA, Pa. — For the first time since 2019, the New Jersey City University women's soccer team scored 12 goals as the Gothic Knights dominated Penn State University Brandywine from beginning to end on the road on Saturday, Sept. 17. The highlight of the day was freshman Jessica Digristina (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) as the rookie tallied four goals in the victory.

The first shot on goal of the game for NJCU (3-2-2) came early on in the 10th minute as Digristina, assisted by junior Hailey Goncalves (Union, N.J./Union), chipped one in off the keeper's hands to make it 1-0 over Penn State Brandywine (2-5). After continued pressure, including multiple off-target shots, blocked attempts and offsides calls, Jersey City struck again as Digristina made it 2-0 in the 26th, thanks in part to the first assist of the season for sophomore Katie Kelly (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus). After the Gothic Knights' first unsuccessful on-goal attempt in the 28th, freshman Nyrohah Alvarenga (North Bergen, N.J./High Tech) made it 3-0 in the 29th off a free kick.

Freshman Rebecca Lopez (Mountain View, Calif./Mountain View) had her first on-target shot turned aside in the 31st before Digristina scored her third goal of the day to make it 4-0 — Alvarenga with the assist — early in the 35th. Another rookie, Natalia Jaramillo (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield), notched a shot on net in the 36th, followed by Lopez in the 37th before junior Samantha Szymanski (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) — assisted by Jaramillo — made it 5-0 in the 38th. Lopez kept the pressure on and rang one off the crossbar in the 40th, before Alvarenga sent one on goal in the 43rd.

A flurry of action in front of the Brandywine net midway through the 45th eventually led to Digristina's fourth and final goal of the day to make it 6-0 with just over 30 seconds to go in the half. Alvaregna got it started by ricocheting one off the crossbar. Digristina jumped on the rebound but was turned aside. However, the rookie gobbled up on her own second-chance opportunity and beat the Lions' keeper.

Things did not slow down in the second as freshman Ariana Flores-Ortiz (Little Falls, N.J./Passaic Valley Regional) waited all of 15 seconds before making it 7-0 in the 46th. Then, after a foul in the box, Lopez converted on the penalty for the well-earned goal to make it 8-0 in the 48th. Minutes later, Lopez tallied her second goal of the day — assisted by freshman Gabriela Rodriguez (Elizabeth, N.J./Frank J. Cicarell Academy), the first point of her collegiate career — to make it 9-0 early in the 55th.

The longest scoreless stretch of the match ensued before freshman Yoselis De Jesus (San Cristobal, Dominican Republic/Loyola Polytechnic Institute) scored her second-career goal to make it 10-0 in the 72nd. Then, in the 81st minute, junior Melanie Lopez (Newark, N.J./Science Park) — she saw limited action as a freshman in the shortened 2020-21 Spring season before missing the entirety of the 2021 Fall campaign due to injury — scored the first goal of her collegiate career (assisted by Rodriguez; her second) to make it 11-0. To close out the day, senior Grace Sabaya (Jersey City, N.J./Dickinson) made it 12-0 in the final minute for her first goal of the season.

Up Next:
Having outscored their opponents 19-0 in their last two matches, the Gothic Knights look to continue that momentum for their final non-conference clash prior to the start of New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play. Jersey City will travel to New York to take on John Jay College on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 21, in a 4:00 p.m. kickoff against the Bloodhounds.