HILLSIDE, N.J. – Four goals in a six-minute span toward the end of the first half paved the way for a 6-0 victory for the FGCU women's soccer team over NJIT Friday afternoon. The Eagles (9-2-1, 2-0-1 ASUN) move to the top of the conference with seven points with two games left on the conference schedule tonight, while the Highlanders (6-7, 0-4) continue to search for their first point of the season.

"We came out with a really good mentality and we set the tone early," said head coach Jim Blankenship. "We put them under a lot of pressure and we were rewarded with some really nice goals. It started with good tempo and we dictated the match, which is what we've been trying to do all year. This is a great result on the road."

A dominant first half from FGCU set the tone for a stress-free 90-minute performance. The Eagles opened the scoring 20 minutes in on Marjorie Boilesen's (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Porto Seguro/West Florida) eighth of the year before essentially securing the three points with four goals between the 31st and 37th minute. Leading 5-0 heading into halftime, the Green and Blue tallied one more in the second half to conclude the victory. The Eagles outshot NJIT 23-3 in the match, holding the hosts without a shot until the 47th minute.   

It took FGCU 10 minutes Sunday to break through against Kennesaw State and nine more minutes to find the opener against the Highlanders. After FGCU put a pair of shots on frame in the opening 15 minutes, the Eagles opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a beautiful build-up, capped by Boilesen's opener.

It all started from the edge of the attacking third as Lindsey Patton (Jacksonville, Fla./Oakleaf HS) found Zoey Spitzer (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS) in space. The freshman then found Varin Ness (Sogndal, Norway/Sogndal Vidaregåande Skule/Carson Newman) at the edge of the box, who played Cassidy Morgan (Weston, Fla./Cypress Bay HS) toward the endline. Morgan was able to keep it in play, directing the ball toward Emilie Olsen (Frekhaug, Norway/Tertnes VGS). A simple redirect found Boilesen who overpowered the Highlander goalkeeper.

Nikki Hudson (Baltimore, Md./Roland Park County School/Rutgers) almost put herself on the scoresheet for the second-straight match only for Amelia Sapirman to make a low save, but FGCU would not wait long before putting the game out of reach.

Just before the half-hour mark, Blankenship brought Hope Van Wagner (Avon, Ind./Avon HS) into the match and 57 seconds later, the freshman headed home her second goal of the season when Spitzer delivered a cross into the box that found Van Wagner at the 6-yard box.

Two minutes later, Boilesen completed her brace and pushed the lead to 3-0. Fritz started the movement, finding Van Wagner out wide. After the freshman gathered the pass and moved forward into space, she whipped in a cross from 30 yards out that bounced near the penalty spot. At that point, Boilesen beat her mark, chested the ball down and volleyed it off the underside of the crossbar and over the line as Sapirman came out to cut down the angle.

Then in the 36th minute, Holly Fritz (Cape Coral, Fla./Mariner HS/Florida State) made it 4-0 to the visitors. It was Camille Knudstrup (Lakeland, Fla./George Jenkins HS) that picked out Meaghan Mulligan (Freehold, N.J./Colts Neck High School/Tennessee) at the edge of the box and the Jersey-native smartly laid it off to Fritz. The Cape Coral native let the ball run past her mark and delivered a rocket into the back of the net.

Knudstrup capped the five-goal half, finishing off a free kick from Van Wagner. It was Knudstrup's second goal of the season.

Ten minutes into the second half, FGCU was at it again, this time Spitzer got on the board. After Mulligan had a header cleared off the line, but it went only as far as Spitzer who was near the edge of the box. The freshman's first-touch shot was almost cleared off the line, only for the NJIT defender to knock it further over the line.

FGCU had a few chances later in the match, including one from Fritz that hit both posts, as FGCU closed out a 6-0 victory.

Melissa Weck (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) made one save in the match, seeing only three shots come her way.

UP NEXT
FGCU ends the weekend with a 1 p.m. match against USC Upstate Sunday. The Eagles and the Spartans began the weekend tied for third on four points.

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.
 
IRMA RELIEF DONATIONS
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, many individuals and families throughout Southwest Florida are still in desperate need of assistance. To aid in those relief efforts, FGCU Athletics will be collecting donations at all Eagle home games for the immediate future. Donation items most needed include: non-perishable food, clothing, household items and first-aid supplies. Additionally, those unable to attend upcoming home games can drop off donations in canisters located in the Alico Arena lobby. All donations will be given to those hardest hit in Lee and Collier counties.
 
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 2015, has built FGCU women's soccer into a yearly contender in the ASUN Conference and a rising program in the South Region in just 10 seasons. Blankenship started the program in 2007 and has since guided the Eagles to nine double-digit win seasons, culminating with ASUN Regular Season Championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. In 2011 and 2012 he also led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN Tournament titles 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 hosted 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. In 2016, the Eagles made it three-consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament with a third-straight ASUN Tournament title. Blankenship has guided FGCU to a 138-49-21 (71.1 W%) overall record through the first 11 seasons of the program's existence, including a 68-10-14 (81.1 W%) mark in the ASUN. Blankenship's impressive career record of 378-120-32 (74.2 W%) over 25 seasons has come while leading FGCU, the University of Miami, Lynn University and St. Thomas University.
 
#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