FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Lexi Lehan had her first career multi-goal game and Gabby Diodati added a goal and an assist as the Fairfield University Women's Soccer team rolled past visiting Rider by a 3-0 final score. The shutout was the fourth of the season for the Fairfield defense and the first by senior goalkeeper Aytana Muschajew, who made three saves in the victory. With the win, the Stags extend their unbeaten streak to seven matches, their longest unbeaten streak since 2011.
 
"I thought it was a solid performance," Head Coach David Barrett said. "We wanted to come out and be on our front foot from the beginning and earning that penalty early put us on a good path. A good solid performance from back to front and front to back today."
 
The Stags earned their first goal of the match just eight minutes after the opening whistle when Maddie Kiely dribbled inside the area and sent a cross that was initially blocked. However, the defender was whistled for a handball and that gave Diodati another chance to touch the back of the net, which she would for her career-high sixth goal of the season.
 
The Stags would add some breathing room just seven minutes later on another play that was set up by Diodati. The graduate student sent a left footed cross towards the front of the net where Lehan was able to get her right foot and flick over the head of the Rider goalkeeper.
 
Lehan would have a similar score in the second half as she headed a pass from Reagan Klarmann into the upper left of the net, completing her first career multi-goal game.
 
"Lexi has been dealing with a lot academically this semester and she's been a trooper," Coach Barrett said. "In terms of her commitment and her willingness to adapt and play a different role and I think she has become an effective option for us. She had two really good goals today, that third one was a terrific goal."
 
The Fairfield defense, who is averaging just 0.78 goals against during the seven match unbeaten streak, once again clamped down on the opposition. The Stags allowed just one shot in the first 30 minutes of the match and allowed just three attempts on target. All three shots were stopped by Muschajew who was making her first start of the season.
 
In total, the Stags took a season-high 29 shots with 12 different student-athletes having at least one attempt. Fairfield also earned 10 corner kicks.
 
The Stags are back in action on Wednesday night when they welcome the reigning MAAC Champions Siena to Lessing Field at 7pm.