THROGGS NECK, NY – The Maritime College women's soccer team began its 2023 campaign with a dominant 6-1 victory over Brooklyn (0-1-0) at Reinhart Field on Friday.  Kiera Ford (Montgomery, NY) had a hat trick and Kathryn Sandford (Floral Park, NY) scored twice, as the Privateers (1-0-0) earned their fourth consecutive season-opening win.

Hannah Crown (Athens, NY) nearly opened the scoring in the 14^th minute, when her shot hit the post.  The Privateers continued peppering Brooklyn goalkeeper Angelina Vasta before finally breaking through in the 31^st minute.  Crown found a streaking Ford down the left side, and she put away a low dribbler from 25 yards out.  Sandford then made it 2-0 by heading home a cross from Ava Morrill (New Windsor, NY) in the 34^th minute.  Three minutes later, Ford found the back of the net again, giving Maritime a 3-0 halftime lead.

Just 50 seconds into the second half, Ford completed her hat trick by putting one into the lower left corner.  She has now tallied a hat trick in back-to-back season-openers.  Ford then picked up an assist in the 55^th minute, when she connected with Devon Etienne (Garden City, NY), who netted her first collegiate tally in her Maritime debut.  Sage Bernstein got the Bulldogs on the board in the 86^th minute before the Privateers added one final goal with less than a minute remaining.  Morrill took a corner kick and found Sandford for her second score of the night.

Maritime outshot Brooklyn 23-2, including a 15-2 edge in shots on goal.  Vasta (0-1-0) recorded nine saves for the Bulldogs in a losing effort, while Etienne and Emily Harpur (Yonkers, NY) split time in net for the Privateers.  Etienne (1-0-0) played the first half was credited with the win, making a save in addition to posting a goal and an assist.  Ford finished with seven points on three goals and an assist.  Both of Sandford's goals were assisted by Morrill, and Sandford also tallied an assist.

Up next for the Privateers is a 7 p.m. matchup with Saint Elizabeth (1-0-0) at Reinhart Field on Thursday.  It will be Maritime's second straight home game to begin the season.