MIDDLETOWN, Conn. - Behind hat tricks from reserve attackers senior Alex Bean and freshman Amy Blum, Wesleyan racked up a school-record 12 goals in defeating Salve Regina for the fourth consecutive year. The teams first met in 2007 with Wesleyan winning, 2-1. Last year's result was a 2-0 Cardinal triumph while the 2008 meeting was a 3-1 conquest for Wesleyan.

Wesleyan had equaled its school record for goals in a game earlier this season during s 10-2 triumph at Eastern Connecticut. Wesleyan first hit double-digit scoring in 1996 with a 10-0 win over Franklin Pierce.

Scoring five goals off rebounds as the Salve Regina keepers, sophomore Helen Bohnenberger in the first half and junior Natalie Balletta in the second half, combined for 20 saves, Wesleyan scored twice in the opening five minutes. Junior Liz Chabot and sophomore Taryn Murray were the opportunists, getting to the loose ball after initial shots which were saved. Wesleyan ran the margin to 6-0 by halftime with junior Morgan McCauley, senior Jamie Thabault, Bean and senior Lila Creighton all getting into the scoring act. McCauley's goal was her team-leading ninth of the year.

All but one of the goals in the second half came courtesy of Bean or Blum, that by sophomore Averill Roberto to make it 7-0 just 1:50 into the second half. Bean and Blum finished off the scoring to post their first career hat trick. Senior Allie Lynch added three assists in the contest.

Wesleyan held Salve without a shot in the game while rolling up 40, 32 of them on net. Corners favored Wesleyan, 18-0, with four converted into goals.

Wesleyan, which had been ranked among the top-20 nationally for several weeks before falling out of the rankings this week, takes on NESCAC rival and 17th-ranked Amherst College in its next start Saturday, Oct. 23. Salve Regina returns to action at TCCC foe Western New England Saturday.

(Courtesy of Wesleyan sports information)