BATON ROUGE, La.– LSU midfielder Malorie Rutledge tallied a hat trick, including two goals in the first seven minutes of the match, to lead the 10th-ranked LSU soccer team to a 7-0 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday at the LSU Soccer Complex.
The Tigers outshot UAPB by a 16-0 margin in the first half and earned 12 corner kicks. UAPB goal keeper Chelsea Klein recovered from the two early goals to make nine saves in the period and close out the first half with a 2-0 deficit.
LSU played aggressively and with a sense of purpose in the second half putting the game out of reach and picking up its second NCAA Tournament victory in school history.
Rutledge completed the hat trick five minutes into the second half when she shot a strike from just outside the penalty area that found the net inside the right post.
Midfielder Kellie Murphy scored LSU's next two goals, finishing a pass from Carlie Banks and then connecting on a header following a cross from Alexander. Arkansas-Pine Bluff made a goalkeeper change 30 seconds later and Alexander notched a goal of her own after firing a strike from the top of the box that got pass backup goalkeeper Bre-Ann Laypoole.
The scoring concluded with a goal from LSU senior striker Rachel Yepez who fired a right-footed shot from 12 yards out that gave LSU a 7-0 advantage.
The loss brings a close to the Lady Lions season as they finish their 2009 campaign with a 12-7-4 overall record.
