Bay Path Women Sink Buccaneers 5-2

LONGMEADOW, Mass. – Jailinne Ruiz (Hadley, Mass.) scored the final four goals of the match and added an assist as Bay Path University extended its unbeaten streak to seven straight matches with a 5-2 victory over visiting Massachusetts Maritime Academy in non-conference women's soccer action Tuesday afternoon at Ryan Field.

In addition to ranking second in all of NCAA Division III with 19 goals on the season, Ruiz' assist made it a career-high nine-point match for the talented junior.

Ruiz' first goal of the contest – the 40^th goal of her career – came off a feed from senior Elena Helming (Maplewood, N.J.) in the 53^rd minute, knotting the match at 2-2.  In the 78^th minute, Ruiz would convert a pass from junior Megan Mackie (APO, A.E.) for the eventual game winner.

Ruiz would add two more goals in the next eight minutes off assists by junior Samantha Drapinski (Malden, Mass.) and Mackie to seal the victory.

With two assists on the day, Mackie moved into a tie for the national lead in NCAA Division III with 11 helpers.

Bay Path junior Rebekah Herring (Springfield, Mass.) opened the scoring off assists by Ruiz and Joanna Feliciano in the 11^th minute, as the Wildcats claimed a 1-0 lead.

Massachusetts Maritime junior Madison Taylor (Longmeadow, Mass.) scored the match's next two goals, picking up an unassisted tally in the 15^th minute and converting a pass from freshman Anna Deely (Marstons Mills, Mass.) in the 26^th minute.  Now with 14 goals on the year, Taylor moved into the NCAA Division III top-10 in her own right.

Bay Path sophomore Caitlyn Esposito (East Haven, Conn.) collected four saves in net for the victorious Wildcats, while sophomore Sara Coffey (Norton, Mass.) had a busy day with seven saves for the Buccaneers.

With a 6-0-1 mark in the last seven games, Bay Path improved to 6-2-1 overall.  The Wildcats will visit New England Collegiate Conference rival Lesley Saturday evening in Cambridge, Mass. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

The loss dropped Massachusetts Maritime to 3-5-0 overall, as the Buccaneers will next visit Westfield State in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference contest Friday at 7:00 p.m.