FORT MYERS, Fla. – A dominant performance by the FGCU women's soccer team propelled the Eagles to a 7-1 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson Sunday afternoon. The Eagles (6-4) led from the start, using six different goal scorers to defeat the Knights (2-8) for their third straight win.

The seven goals are the highest total of the season for FGCU and the most since the Green and Blue scored the same number last season again LIU on Aug. 30. It's also tied for the fourth-highest single match output in program history.

"I was pleased," said head coach Jim Blankenship. "It's the first time all year we've been able to score that many goals. I thought our mentality was really good when we came out. It was so important to get that early goal and I felt when we did that and got the second one we played fast and moved the ball well. I loved the way we got after it today."

It took eight minutes for FGCU to find the net when Tabby Tindell (Ocala, Fla./Trinity Catholic HS) scored her seventh goal of the season. Just eight minutes later, Emilie Olsen (Frekhaug, Norway/Tertnes VGS) scored her first career goal to make it 2-0. The half closed with goals from Jamie Finn (Dublin, Ireland/St. Finians Community College) and Silvana Gordon (Medford, NJ/Shawnee HS) who both opened their FGCU goal scoring accounts after FDU cut the lead to 2-1. Leading 4-1, the Eagles converted from the penalty spot twice in the second half, once courtesy of Paulina Speckmaier (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep/Florida) and the other from Lauren Greene (Lakeland, Fla./George Jenkins HS), sandwiched around Olsen's second goal of the day.

The Green and Blue dominated from the opening whistle, narrowly missing out on three solid chances within the first eight minutes. The Eagles broke through in the eighth minute when Meaghan Mulligan (Freehold, N.J./Colts Neck High School/Tennessee) picked out Tindell, playing the forward into space behind the Knight defense. Tindell made no mistake in finding the far post, tucking away her seventh goal of the season and 59th of her career. The goal also moved Tindell into third all-time in ASUN Conference history with 142 points.

Olsen had two chances miss off to the left before taking advantage of a defensive mistake by FDU. Olsen won the ball back from the Knight's left back, took a couple of touches and delivered a right-footed shot into the back of the net for her first career goal.

The Knights pulled a goal back in the 20th minute on an Elma Kolenovic strike, to make it 2-1 temporarily. The goal was the only mistake made by the Eagles on the afternoon, however. Ten minutes later, Finn was in space out wide thanks to a Megan Young (White Lake, Mich./Walled Lake Northern HS) through ball and the midfielder took a shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and into the side netting on the far post to give FGCU a 3-1 lead.

Minutes later, Tindell was denied her second goal of the day when her header was cleared off the line. The senior later assisted on Gordon's goal in the 37th minute, playing the freshman behind the backline. Tindell's pass snuck under goalkeeper Amanda Fitzgerald to a wide open Gordon who easily scored on an open net.

Melissa Weck (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) was called upon late in the half, denying FDU an opportunity to score its second goal, sending the Eagles into the half with a 4-1 lead.

The Eagles continued to apply pressure in the second half, earning four corners with the final resulting in a shot from Lauren Knight (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township HS). Then in the 57th minute, Tindell was once again in the box, wreaking havoc on the FDU defense only to be brought down. The first penalty attempt of the season for FGCU was taken by Speckmaier who finished it smartly for a 5-1 FGCU advantage.

Tindell played a role in Olsen's second goal of the match as well, finding the freshman with a perfectly delivered through ball. With only the goalkeeper to beat, Olsen scored her second goal of the match for a 6-1 scoreline.

FGCU scored one final time in the 83rd minute after Gordon was pulled down in the box. Greene stepped up to the penalty spot and converted the Eagles' second penalty kick opportunity for the final 7-1 score.  

Tindell's four points on the afternoon moved her into second place all-time in ASUN history with 144 points. She also has 26 career assists now, trailing Shannen Wacker (2011-14, 27) and Ashley Ciesielczyk (2008-12, 28) on the FGCU all-time assists listing.

Weck was one of three goalkeepers to appear for the Green and Blue. Elyse Hansen (Mequon, Wis./Homestead HS) and Lauren Arrabito (Land O' Lakes, Fla./Land O' Lakes HS) were also called into action.

FGCU tallied 24 shots compared to FDU's six. The Eagles also did not allow a single corner while earning nine.

UP NEXT
FGCU begins conference play after having its scheduled ASUN-opener postponed due to lightning. The Eagles face USC Upstate Friday at 7 p.m. and then NJIT Sunday at 1 p.m. Both matches will be played at the FGCU Soccer Complex.

COACH JIM BLANKENSHIP
A veteran of over two decades in collegiate coaching, head coach Jim Blankenship, who was named the ASUN Coach of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014 and now 2015, has built FGCU women's soccer into a yearly contender in the Atlantic Sun Conference and a rising program in the South Region in just nine seasons. Blankenship started the program in 2007 and has since guided the Eagles to nine double-digit win seasons, culminating with Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. In 2011 and 2012 he also led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN tournament championships and became the first team in the history of the university to make it to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles went on to win the 2014 ASUN tournament and host the first NCAA Championship event on campus. The Eagles earned their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance with the 2015 ASUN Tournament Championship and won their first NCAA game at USF in 2015, while finishing 24th in the nation. Blankenship has guided FGCU to a 121-46-19 (70.7 W%) overall record through the first ten seasons of the program's existence, including a 60-10-10 (76.2 W%) mark in the ASUN. Blankenship's impressive career record of 361-117-30 (74.3 W%) over 25 seasons has come while leading FGCU, the University of Miami, Lynn University and St. Thomas University.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For constant, news, photos, videos and updates you can follow the women's soccer team on Twitter @FGCU_WSoccer, on Instagram @FGCU_WSoccer or on Facebook: Facebook.com/FGCUWSoccer. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.
 
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.