The Suffolk University Women's Soccer team cliched a playoff berth with a 12-0 victory on Wednesday evening over the Anna Maria College AMCATS in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action.
Juniors Taylor Miranda (Smithtown, N.Y.) and Gabrielle Balestrier (Mohnton, Pa.) each recorded hat tricks, while senior Kelsey Cavaretta (Marcellus, N.Y.) netted a pair of goals and added three assists on senior night as the offense exploded for a dozen goals on the evening.
The win moves the Rams to a 6-6 record in GNAC play as they conclude the 2012 season with a 6-10 overall record. The playoffs are set to begin on Sunday afternoon as the league concludes the remainder of the regular season on Thursday afternoon to determine final seeding.
Balestrier scored a pair of goals in the first half as the Rams built a 5-0 lead heading into the break. Freshman Binglei Zhou (Shanghai, China), junior Meghan McHale (Halifax, Mass.) and Miranda added the other three for the Rams.
Either Balestrier or Miranda had a hand in ten of the twelve Suffolk goals on the night. Miranda finished the evening with 10 points (3 goals, 4 assists), while Balestrier recorded three assists to go along with the three goals.
Junior Monica Wolf (Ballston Lake, N.Y.) also added a goal and an assist on the evening as the Suffolk offense outshot Anna Maria, 46-3.
Sophomore Melissa Brouillette (Shelton, Conn.) needed to make only a pair of saves in the contest picking up her fourth shutout of the season and second in as many games for the Rams.
Sophomore Cristina Turley (Waterford, Conn.) had both shots on goal for the AMCATS in the game. Freshman Sarah Benvenuti (Southbridge, Mass.) stopped 12 shots in goal for Anna Maria who wrap up the 2012 season with a 2-14 overall record and 0-12 mark in conference play.
The hat tricks for both Miranda and Balestrier were the third in their careers and first for both players since the 2010 season in which Miranda was named Offensive Player of the Year, while Balestrier took home Rookie of the Year honors by the GNAC.