Rachel Caneen's Hat Trick Leads Women's Soccer Past Mount St. Mary's on Friday

Junior Rachel Caneen posted her first hat trick of the season as the Central Connecticut women's soccer team improved to 2-1 in Northeast Conference play with a 4-0 victory at home against Mount St. Mary's on Friday afternoon. CCSU is now 5-4-4 overall this season and 2-0 at home. The Blue Devils return to action on Sunday. They will host Monmouth at 1 p.m.

The Blue Devils scored a pair of goals in the game's first two minutes. Junior Leah Blayney scored her fourth goal of the season 1:18 into the game to give the home squad a 1-0 lead. Blayney beat Mount goalkeeper Alicia Miller from 30 yards out. Caneen made it 2-0 moments later. She scored off a deflection by Miller just 18 seconds later, giving the Blue Devils a 2-0 advantage just two minutes into the game. It was Caneen's third goal of the season.

Caneen's second goal of the game, at 7:15, upped the Blue Devil lead to 3-0. The junior took a misplayed ball off the Miller, and beat the defense to the right corner of the net.

The Blue Devils outshot the Mountaineers 19-1 in the first half but were held scoreless in the final 42 minutes of the period.

Caneen's third goal of the game came at the 52:21 mark off a feed from Blayney. Blayney took advantage of a Mount turnover, and fed Caneen up the middle. Caneen beat Miller to the lower right corner to record the hat trick.

The Blue Devils outshot the Mountaineers 27-10 overall and 14-3 in shots on goal. The held a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks in the victory. Junior Caity Casey stopped two shots in 77:46. Freshman Alyssa Burke played 12:14 in her collegiate debut.

CCSU returns to action on Sunday at 1 p.m. at home vs. Monmouth.