Rookie striker LaShaunna Harper scored four goals in leading the Varsity Blues to a dominant 5-0 win over the RMC Paladins in OUA women’s soccer playoff action on Wednesday night (Oct. 24) at Varsity Centre.
 
With the win, the Blues advance to the OUA quarter-final round and will travel to Kingston, Ont., this Sunday, October 28 to take on the second-seeded Queen’s Gaels. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
 
The Blues dominated the first half, peppering RMC keeper Olivia Clarke (Caldeon East, Ont.) with shots in the early goings. Harper opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when she booted the ball over Clarke’s head and into the net.
 
The Toronto native struck again just four minutes later, sending a low, hard shot into the bottom right corner of the net. Veteran striker and West Vancouver, B.C., native Mel Bowen put the Blues up 3-0 before the half when she ripped a shot into the top left corner of the net.
 
Harper completed her hat trick performance early in the second half to put the Blues up 4-0. The first-year humanities major added her fourth of the game in the 56th minute.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Sara Petrucci made one save in the shut out win.
 
The Varsity Blues went 1-0-1 with the Gaels during the regular season. The two teams played to a scoreless draw on Sept. 9 at Varsity Centre before the Blues came away with a 3-1 win on Oct. 6 in Kingston.

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