PURCHASE, N.Y. -- The Manhattanville College women's soccer team last scored at least nine times in the 2001 season. Tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 23, on Senior Night, the Valiants did just that for the first time in 17 seasons, defeating Brooklyn College 9-0 at GoValiants.com Field. Manhattanville celebrated its six seniors on the night, and the four that played each managed to notch at least one goal.

The Valiants (3-12) jumped all over the shorthanded Bulldogs (3-12) from the start, scoring just two minutes into the game when rookie Ashley Hayes (Springfield, Ore./Thurston) beat Brooklyn's keeper to the right. Then, nearly six minutes later, the senior offensive explosion began. Captain Dany Swidler (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines) scored the first of her three goals on the night in the ninth minute -- her first career hat-trick -- after she took the corner and it deflected in off the Bulldogs. Fellow captain Lauren Vallarelli (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) got in on the action just over a minute later in the 10th, beating the goalie up high.

Things stayed quiet for the rest of the half for both squads until the 45th minute when senior Karen Garces (Norwalk, Conn./Brien McMahon) scored her first goal since her freshman season off a cross from rookie Amaya Gonzalez (Buena Park, Calif./Western). Manhattanville took the 4-0 lead into the break. Garces again kicked off the scoring frenzy in the second half when she beat the keeper in the 49th minute with an assist from fellow senior Alex Gardner (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad).

Swidler notched her second score of the game in more traditional fashion, taking a through ball and putting it to the left and past the Bulldog keeper in the 54th, while Garces recorded the assist. At this point, Gardner continued to be the lone active senior without a goal for Manhattanville. She remained scoreless for the time being, but came close in the 65th minute with back-to-back shot attempts from in close, but was denied both times by Brooklyn. Less than two seconds later, Freshman Brigid Sullivan (Vienna, Va./Paul VI Catholic) intercepted the clear out attempt and passed it over to Gonzalez. The rookie ripped a shot from 35 yards out to beat the Bulldog goalie and put Manahttanville up 7-0 in the 66th minute.

The time would finally come for Gardner in the 85th minute. Classmate Swidler took a shot that was stopped by Brooklyn, but Gardner was right on top of the rebound and put it in the back of the net for her second goal of the season. To close out the scoring, Swidler was awarded a free kick in the 89th minute from 25 yards out, and she successfully put it past the keeper for the 9-0 win.

Manhattanville will follow up its convincing win in its regular season and Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom finale this Saturday, Oct. 27. The Valiants will host No. 9 Misericordia University, with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m.