Five different players scored as the No. 9 Varsity Blues women’s soccer team defeated the RMC Paladins 5-1 on Sunday, September 12 at Varsity Centre.

With the win, the Blues improve to 2-1-1 and sit in second place behind the Queen’s Gaels (3-0-0) in the OUA East.

The Blues opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Calgary native Shirley Ho redirected a Nav Deol (Mississauga, Ont.) cross into the bottom left corner of the net.

A minute later, Andrea Czyrka of Mississauga sent a pass to Vancouver native Hattie Daumann who was all alone inside the 18-yard box but RMC goalkeeper Michelle Hamilton (Winnipeg) was there to make the save.

RMC strikers Laura Gray (Brookside, N.S.) and Kimberly Archibald (Kingston, N.S.) attempted to penetrate Toronto’s back line midway through the first half; however, the Blues defensive unit shut the door and sent the ball out of harms way.

In the 28th minute, Czyruka sent a long through ball to London, Ont., native Jennifer Siu who deked out an RMC defender and found the back of the net to put the Blues up by two.

Just five minutes later, Gray got the Paladins on the board when she chipped the ball past goalkeeper Kat Vulic to find the empty net. U of T held a 2-1 lead at the half.

Kate Crowley (London) potted Toronto’s third goal of the game in the 53rd minute when she sent a booming shot from 35-yards out over Hamilton’s head. The Blues almost struck again minutes later when Siu sent a cross to Aisha Lewis (Mississauga), who collided with Hamilton on the goal line.

Gray continued to pressure for the Paladins, shooting a rocket just over the cross bar in the 62nd minute. However, U of T veteran midfielder Laura Machado would score next as she received a pass from Lewis and lobbed the ball into the top of the net just 10 minutes later.

Toronto peppered Hamilton with shots in the final 20 minutes of the match and Juliana Bergin of Baxter, Ont., added one final goal in the last three minutes when she finished off a passing play with Lewis.

The Varsity Blues return to the field next Saturday, September 18 when they travel to Kingston, Ont., for a rematch with the Paladins. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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