BOCA RATON, Fla. – Mother Nature wasn't the only one to bring the thunder Sunday afternoon at the McCusker Sports Complex. Melissa Ortiz and the Lynn University women's soccer team got back to their winning ways with a thunderous 4-0 victory over Eckerd. Ortiz scored a goal and added an assist to become the 10th player in school history with 100 career points. Lynn improves to 5-1-1 overall and 1-0 in the Sunshine State Conference.
With the field soaked through and the ball skidding around, the Blue & White looked to send in as many long balls into the Eckerd 18-yard box as possible. That strategy proved successful in the 20th minute of play when Lina Forsman found the back of the net for her fourth goal of the season. Alison Ramsey set her up with a lob pass over the defense that keeper Lauren Fernandez couldn't hold on to. Forsman ran onto the loose ball and knocked her shot in on the open net.
Lightning delayed the match for 30 minutes but Lynn came back out as strong as ever. It took just two minutes following the halt in play for LU to make it a 2-0 game.
Ortiz struck in the 26th minute after being on the receiving end of a beautiful cross from Scout Stowe in the right corner. The Wellington, Fla., product got just enough of the ball off the back of her head to re-direct it to the near post for her historic 100th career point.
Already owning an assist on the day, Ramsey put the Knights on top 3-0 in the 39th minute when she fired a shot from the center of the field, 35-yards out. Her attempt sailed over Fernandez's head, giving the red-shirt junior her first goal of the season.
Lynn closed out its offensive day with a goal in the 66th minute. Ortiz tacked on point No. 101 when she sent in a cross from the far left corner towards the left post. Making an early run, Lauren Handley leaped right in front of Fernandez for her first career goal.
Making her first career start was goal keeper Meghan Dolan. The freshman out of St. Louis, Mo., stopped one shot but it was the defensive unit of Rio Hanlan, Lauren Impey, Paige Meggison and Megan Rodwell that limited Eckerd to just one shot in the opening minutes of the match.
The Fighting Knights return to action on Thursday, September 29, at 4 p.m. when they host Palm Beach Atlantic. Fans can listen to thegame live at www.LynnFightingKnights.com and receive in-game tweets by following Sports Information Director Chad Beattie @Chad_BT.
