VALDOSTA, Ga. – Behind three first half goals and two from sophomore Maria Rojas, the Valdosta State women's soccer team posted a 3-1 victory over visiting Eckerd College Monday evening at the VSU Soccer Complex.  
 
Picking up right where they left off following a 7-0 victory over Auburn Montgomery on Saturday, Rojas scored just 2:18 into the contest for the quickest goal scored by the Blazers this season.  Junior Taylor Youmans had the nice dish to Rojas as she beat EC goalkeeper Madi Winn for the score.  Rojas and Youmans connected again just 13 minutes later for a 2-0 lead and junior Kaitlyn Scherer scored just 2:58 minutes later for a 3-0 lead as all three Blazer goals came in the first 18:15 of the contest.  
 
Blazer senior goalkeeper Claire Timberlake finished with a season-high ten saves as the Blazers had 11 saves in the match.  Timberlake had four saves in the first half and six outstanding saves in the second as the Tritons (4-5-3) turned up the pressure in the final stanza in what turned out to be a tale of two halves for both teams. 
 
VSU (3-7-4) had chances in the first half to score at least two or three more goals, while Timberlake arguably had one of her best halves of the season in the second stopping a barrage of shots from Eckerd.  VSU did have some chances in the second half, but the Tritons were were more of the aggressors in the final 45 minutes.  EC's Nadia Buist scored on a breakaway in the 54^th minute for a 3-1 score, but Timberlake and the Blazers hung tough and preserved the win.  EC had 13 shots in the second half alone with seven on target.
 
For the match, EC held a 20-15 lead in shots and 12-9 in shots on target.  The Tritons had nine corner kicks with seven in the second half.  Rojas finished with five shots, four on goal and the two goals including the game winner, while Youmans had three shots and two on frame with the two assists.  EC was led by two shots on target and the score from Buist, while Olivia Ozbolt had three shots and two on frame with the assist on the breakaway.  
 
The Blazers now have scored ten goals in their last two matches as they had five goals total for the season before last Saturday.  VSU returns to the road this week as it travels to Memphis, Tenn., for a 6 p.m. ET match on Friday, Oct. 24 at Christian Brothers and then heads to Union on Sunday, Oct. 26 for a 2 p.m. tilt in Jackson, Tenn.  
 
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