WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Hartford women's soccer team (3-1-3 overall) scored four second half goals to pull away from the visiting Iona Gaels for a 5-1 victory, the first at home in 2014. Four Hawks all finished with four points in the game as Chanel Johnson and Elise Galipo each scored twice, while Sidney Spremullo added a goal and two assists.

The two goals each for Johnson and Galipo represent the first multi-goal game of the season for any Hartford player, while it is the first time in Galipo's career she has netted two goals in a game. Spremullo's four points is also a career-high, while her goal is the second of the season and her fifth career score.

Galipo and Johnson went back-to-back in scoring goals for the Hawks twice on Sunday with Galipo providing the game-tying goal in the first half and the final goal of the game in the 74th minute. Both of her goals came courtesy of assists from Spremullo. The goal which evened the score early in the 36th minute came by way of a deflection off a corner kick started by Spremullo.

The game-winning goal came in the 54th minute off the head of Johnson thanks to some help from sophomore Aaliyah Ingram. Ingram provided the first scoring opportunity with a shot that deflected off the crossbar and directly to the head of Johnson who redirected the ball off her head and into the lower right corner of the net.
 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS
 

·        The Hawks had a look at scoring in the 18th minute with a pair of chances, the first from Chanel Johnson whose attempt was blocked with the second rebound attempt from Sidney Spremullo on an open net that lofted high over the crossbar.

·        Erica Primovic provided the next opportunity thanks to a pair of crossing passes from Aaliyah Ingram and Spremullo that left her without a defender but her shot was straight in and found the hands of Gaels keeper Lauren Ferris.

·        With just over 15 minutes remaining in the first half Johnson had another opportunity, this time accepting a long cross from Caitlin Smallfield. With the pass coming in at her feet, Johnson fired a low line drive on target with Ferris making a diving stop to her left forcing the corner kick reset.

·        Just prior to the 10 minute mark in the opening half the Hawks pushed forward fast as Johnson chased down a long pass over the midfield from Raelynn Mikell. Johnson shuffled a cross to freshman Melina Spanos who continued the cross over to Elise Galipo who fired a hard low shot that deflected off the glove of the Gaels keeper.

·        Just minutes after Galipo evened the score at one goal apiece, sophomore Kylie Hoang looked to give the Hawks a 2-1 lead as she fired her first shot of the season low and hard with Ferris collecting her fourth save of the opening half.

·        After a pair of opportunities in the early minutes of the second half, Johnson broke through with the eventual game-winning goal on scrum in the top center of the six-yard box. The goal came on a second opportunity with the first coming from Aaliyah Ingram whose shot deflected off the cross bar and directly to Johnson. She headed home the game-winner to the lower right side of the goal.

·        Hartford then rattled off three insurance goals over a span of just over seven minutes. The first of those scores came as the second goal of the season for Spremullo, while Johnson and Galipo went back-to-back to put the contest out of the Gaels reach.

·        Sophomore keeper Jessica Jurg made her first appearance in goal for the Hawks collecting five shots, all of which came in the opening half as the Gaels took six total shots, all on goal. Sophomore Gabby Arruda also saw action in goal for Hartford, her first minutes as a Hawk.

·        The Hawks finished the game with a 22-8 shot advantage, the sixth time this season they have outshot their opponent. The 14 shot advantage over Iona matches the season-best for Hartford, the previous coming in the last game against Wagner.
 

GOALS RUNDOWN
 

·        Iona struck first in the fourth minute when Marisa Bentley tracked down a long pass over the defense from Erika Flowers. Bentley dribbled forward a couple yards and looped a shot over the leaping outstretched arm of Hawks keeper Jessica Jurg.

·        Hartford broke through and evened the score early in the 36th minute with junior Elise Galipo scoring her first goal of the season. The play began with a corner kick served in by Sidney Spremullo and after being deflected off a defender; Galipo gathered and lifted a soft shot over the defense that deflected off the crossbar and into the goal.

·        Chanel Johnson scored what would be the game-winning goal, her first of the afternoon, in the 54th minute connecting on a header off a rebound. The initial shot, and assist, credited to Aaliyah Ingram whose shot deflected off the crossbar to Johnson who provided the Hawks with a 2-1 advantage.

·        Spremullo continued the scoring with her second goal of the season in the 67th minute working off an assist from sophomore Katie Connolly. Spremullo accepted the pass from midfield and after working forward and eluding her defender fired her shot to the lower right corner from the top of the 18-yard box.

·        Johnson provided another insurance goal for the Hawks, her second score of the afternoon. Johnson dribbled forward more than 40 yards and after crossing to the center of the field blasted a shot to the lower left corner of the goal from the right side of the six-yard box.

·        Galipo then turned and fired following a pass from Spremullo to net her second goal of the game, the first time in her career she has scored more than one goal in a game.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
 

·        Hartford's five goals against Iona is the most since September 2, 2012 when the Hawks came away with a 5-2 result against Saint Joseph's University.

·        The Hawks 22 total shots represents a season-high for the team, one more than the high of 21 set last game against Wagner. Hartford also outshot its opponent for the sixth time in seven total games in 2014.

·        Iona registered six shots in the opening half, all of which were on goal with sophomore keeper Jessica Jurg collecting five saves in her 2014 debut between the pipes.

·        Senior Chanel Johnson scored the Hawks second goal of the game, the eventual game-winner. She has scored the game-winning goal in each of Hartford's three victories in 2014, tying her career-high of three game-winners in 2013.

·        Chanel Johnson and Elise Galipo each scored two goals for the Hawks which represents the first time in 2014 a Hawk has scored multiple goals in a game. It is Johnson's second career multi-goal game, while it is the first time for Galipo.

·        Junior Sidney Spremullo recorded four points on a goal and two assists, setting a career-high with four points in a single game. She is now second on the team with six points on two goals and two assists.
 

 TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·        Hartford scored five goals for the first time since September 2, 2012 when they scored five against Saint Joseph's.

·        Senior Chanel Johnson and junior Elise Galipo each scored two goals, the first multi-goal games for a Hawk in 2014.

·        Sophomore keeper Jessica Jurg collected five saves in her debut between the pipes for Hartford

·        Junior Sidney Spremullo set a career-high with four points, scoring one goal and assisting on two others.

·        Senior Chanel Johnson has scored the game-winning goal in each of the Hawks three victories in 2014.

UP NEXT
The Hawks will play a single road contest before returning to the friendly confines of Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium when they travel south on interstate 91 to take on the Sacred Heart Pioneers on Sunday, September 21. Kick off for the instate rivalry is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Campus Field.