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Wildcats Go Wild in Season Opener
WEST WINDSOR - The New Jersey Wildcats got their season off to a smashing start tonight as they rolled past the Boston Renegades 6-1 in front of 752 fans at Mercer County Community College. The Wildcats dominated throughout against the Renegades, who won the W-League championship in 2001 and 2002. New Jersey held a 27-2 advantage in shots in the contest.
Forward Kate Sands starred for the Wildcats on the offensive end with two goals and two assists while also drawing a penalty kick. Kelly Hammond lined that penalty kick into the net for one of her two goals while Carli Smith contributed a goal and an assist. Kelly Smith scored the other goal for the Wildcats for her first W-League goal since the 2000 season.
"We couldn't ask for much more on opening day - a great win, a great crowd, a great atmosphere," said Wildcats head coach Charlie Naimo. "I was a little nervous that we haven't really had a lot of time together in practice, but we seemed to click right from the start."
Boston packed it in from the start as the Wildcats outshot the Renegades 17-0 in the first half. New Jersey finally broke through in the 36th minute as Sands found a bouncing ball in the box and cracked it into the upper left corner from 15 yards out. Smith connected off a feed from Lloyd five minutes later to give the Wildcats a 2-0 halftime edge.
"I was really happy that we were finally able to put a couple in before halftime," said Sands - one of just three returning players from the 2003 Wildcats team. "We were a little tense up to that point and we really started to loosen up and play well in the second half."
New Jersey didn't let up in the second half as Sands fed Hammond for a goal in the 55th minute before scoring her second unassisted goal of the night three minutes later. Lloyd raised the advantage to 5-0 off a pass from Sands in the 63rd minute.
Boston finally got on the board in the 72nd minute after a long run by Robin Fulton ended up with a nice shot into the upper left corner. Hammond closed the scoring on a penalty kick in the 83rd minute after Sands was taken down in the box on a run to goal.
The Wildcats return to action on Sunday, May 16th at 7:30 pm when they host the Western Mass Lady Pioneers at Mercer County Community College.
LINEUPS:
BOSTON RENEGADES: Ashley Phillips, Maura Robertson, Liza Barber, Ellen Daly, Meghan Welcome, Caitlin Fisher, Stacey Stocco, Sarah Rahko (Zoe Avner 82), Robin Fulton (Rebecca Brooke 82), Caitlin Munoz (Maria Adamtzikis 61), Bekah Splaine.
NEW JERSEY WILDCATS: Amanda Brown (Becky Wachsberger 45), Rochelle Willis (Cara Hammond 72), Anne Makinen, Beth McNamara (Bonnie Young 72), Janine Willis, Maura Gallagher, Carli Lloyd, Kelly Hammond, Jen Redmond (Jamie Weist 78), Kate Sands, Kelly Smith (Marieke van Tienhoven 82).
GOALS:
NJW – Sands 36th minute
NJW – Smith (Lloyd) 41st minute
NJW – Hammond (Sands) 55th minute
NJW – Sands 58th minute
NJW – Lloyd (Sands) 63rd minute
BR – Fulton 72nd minute
NJW – Hammond 83rd minute
SAVES:
BR – Phillips 8
NJW – Brown 0, Wachsberger 1
SHOTS:
BR – 2, NJW – 27 | 
