Villanova women's soccer buried Iona 11-0 on Sunday, Aug. 30, at Higgins Soccer Complex, tying the second-highest single-game goal total in program history.
Eight Wildcats scored. Sophomore forward Avrie Nelsen led the attack with three goals, the first hat trick of her career. Graduate student Bella Panaccione added two goals in what Villanova Athletics described as her first two collegiate goals.
The 11-goal outburst matched the program's 11-0 wins over Saint Peter's on Sept. 11, 2007, and Howard on Oct. 27, 2002. Villanova outshot Iona 27-1 overall and 18-0 in shots on goal.
The rout started early. Nelsen finished off a scramble near the goal line in the second minute after headers from Kaydee Amorosa and Morgan Kotch on a corner kick. Isabelle Chukwu scored her first collegiate goal in the 13th minute, redirecting a saved Amorosa shot into the net. Nelsen knocked in a rebound four minutes later to make it 3-0.
Gabby Koluch stole the ball and launched a shot into the top right corner in the 26th minute. Amorosa, who finished with four points on one goal and three assists, scored in the 41st minute. Panaccione closed the first half with her first career goal off a lofty ball from Ire Omotayo, sending Villanova into the break up 6-0.
"We just wanted to come out and put on a show for the people that came out and make a statement," Amorosa said.
The second half brought five more. Meredith Palmer headed in a corner from Abby Graul in the 63rd minute. Amalia Cardo converted a penalty kick in the 69th minute. Graul scored her second collegiate goal in the 73rd minute on a one-timer inside the box, set up by a Sophia Miller cross and a Becca Miller header.
Nelsen completed her hat trick in the 78th minute, redirecting a saved Dez Zapata shot into an open net. Twenty seconds later, Panaccione ripped a shot from the top of the box for the 11th and final goal.
Villanova improved to 3-0-1 and has not allowed a goal through four matches this season. The Wildcats blanked Columbia 2-0 on Friday, Aug. 28, extending the shutout streak.
Head coach Samar Azem said the team keeps answering the question of what it can do better. Iona fell to 3-1-1.
Villanova hosts Penn on Thursday, Sept. 3, at 4 p.m. at Higgins Soccer Complex.
