FAIRFIELD, Conn. – On a rain-soaked pitch, the Fairfield University Women's Soccer team poured in five goals by four different goal scorers as they started Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play with a 5-1 victory over Rider. Maddy Theriault scored twice for the Stags while each of the team's three captains: Meghan Carragher, Reagan Klarmann, and Caroline Kelly all added goals in the win.
 
"We continue to be dangerous," Head Coach David Barrett said. "We play to our strengths and when we do that we're really difficult to deal with. We actually left goals on the field with 32 shots but we're continuing to adapt to how teams are going to defend us and come at us. We responded well to those challenges and it's a good way to start the MAAC season."
 
Theriault would open the scoring as she took in a cross from Elle Scott in the 20th minute and rifled her shot past the Rider goalkeeper for the first score of the game. This would be the first of two goals for Theriault who has now tallied multiple goals in back-to-back contests and five times in her career. She brings her career total to 23 goals, two shy of entering the top-10 in school history.
 
For Scott, the assist was the 18th of her career, which ties her for seventh in the program's record books.
 
The Stags would add on to their lead in the 40th minute when Carragher headed in a brilliant corner from Dana Nadda, securing her first goal of the season.
 
Fairfield would increase their lead to three just four minutes into the second half as Sam Kersey played a terrific ball over the back line, which Theriault was able to chase down and beat the keep in a 1v1 opportunity.
 
Rider would get on the scoreboard in the 66th minute but the Stags would enter with two goals in just under a minute coming from Klarmann and Kelly. Ashlyn Walsh picked up the assist on Klarmann's goal while Klarmann sent the ball into the box which Kelly was able to head past the keeper.
 
The Stags dominated the match, out-shooting Rider 32-7 while taking 16 attempts in both halves. The Stags also tallied nine corner kicks with seven coming in the first 45 minutes.
 
Fairfield will have a week off before taking the field against Iona at home on Saturday at 7pm.