Gibbs Records Third Hat Trick of the Season

UNION, N.J. (10/06/08) - Junior forward Brittany Gibbs (West Deptford, N.J.) recorded her third hat trick of the season to lead the Kean University field hockey team to a 7-0 shutout of Cedar Crest College in non-conference action on Monday evening.

Gibbs (pictured right) netted three straight goals spanning the first and second halves and rookie Olivia Triano (Keyport, N.J.) added three assists to lift the Cougars (9-2) to their eighth straight victory.

For the Falcons (2-9), goalkeeper Rachel Orlen (Robbinsville, N.J.) made 11 saves, as the Cougars held a commanding 35-0 edge in shots and 16-0 advantage in corners.

Junior Julie Bachovchin (Piscataway, N.J.) opened the scoring 10 minutes into the contest, scoring off the assist from Triano.  Gibbs added the first of her goals less than nine minutes later when she took a pass from sophomore Kelly Mataya (West Paterson, N.J.) across the front of the cage for the 2-0 lead.

Gibbs netted the next two goals (28:16 and 54:47), before rookie Lauren Kusik (Randolph, N.J.) extended the lead to 5-0 when she scored off of Triano's (pictured left) second assist of the evening.

Sophomore Joelle Vitale (Metuchen, N.J.) and freshman Nicole Torre (Toms River, N.J.) closed out the scoring in the final two minutes of the game for the Cougars.

Torre and sophomores Amie Hoch (Egg Harbor Twp., N.J.) and Erica Kelly (West Deptford, N.J.) each added assists in the victory.

Gibbs, who has recorded at least one point in every game she has played in this season, currently has 17 goals and 40 points this season, ranking her tied for third in each category in single season history.  In her career, she has 39 goals and 93 points, two goals and four points away from becoming the all-time leader in each category. 

The Cougars return to action Saturday, October 11, when they host Haverford College in non-conference action at 4:30 p.m.