Emory University junior Karina Rodriguez recorded the first hat trick by an Eagle since the 2007 to lead the seventh-ranked squad to a 7-0 win over Agnes Scott College on Wednesday night at the Woodruff Physical Education Center, in Emory's final non-conference game of the regular season.

Emory has now won four-straight games and nine of its last 10 to improve to 11-3-1 for the year with three regular season games remaining on the schedule, all University Athletic Association (UAA) matchups.  The Scotties fell to 3-10-0 on the campaign with the loss.

For the second time in the last three games, Emory took a lead in the first five minutes of action.  This time, it was Rodriguez, who got her career day started in the fourth minute of play, taking a pass from junior Kaelyn Lucas and shooting it past the Agnes Scott keeper for the goal.  Sophomore Jordan Morell extended the lead to 2-0 in the 11^th minute with her third goal of the season, coming off an assist from junior Meredith Doherty, and Rodriguez added her second goal of the game in the 14^th minute, scoring off assists from junior Jennifer Grant and Lucas.  Emory added on another goal late in the half, as Claudia Rowe scored her first goal of the season in the 45^th minute off assists from junior Emily Feldman and freshman Cristina Ramirez.

 

Rodriguez completed the hat trick in the 52^nd minute, scoring her third goal of the game on an assist from freshman Julia Bassell.  Making her season debut, Feldman pushed Emory's lead to 6-0 in the 70^th minute with her first goal of the season, coming on an assist from Morell.  In the 75^th minute, Morell would earn her second goal of the game and fourth of the campaign, collecting a rebound of a shot from Bassell and sending it past the keeper for the score.  Ramirez would cap off the scoring with her fifth goal of the season in the 88^th minute, with freshman Emily Matis earning an assist on the play.

Rodriguez's hat trick was the 33^rd in the program's history, and the first since former Eagle Jamie English scored three against the University of the South on September 16^th, 2007.  Rodriguez leads all Emory players with six goals and 16 points this season.

Watch Karina Rodriguez's second goal against Agnes Scott

The eight goals were a season-best for Emory, which took 50 shots during the game, with 31 on goal.  Rodriguez and Grant led the way with eight shots apiece, while Bassell added seven shots, including a team-best six on frame. 

Goalkeepers Liz Arnold, Gabrielle Pelura and Kristin Temple each split time in goal to combine for the Eagles' seventh shutout of the season.  Arnold started and played the first 16 minutes, earning the win to improve to 10-2-1 for the season.

Emory will have the next week off, before returning to action on Friday, November 1^st at the University of Rochester.