PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – The University of Rochester posted its fifth win of the season with a 7-0 victory over visiting Houghton College at Edwin Fauver Stadium on Tuesday evening. Rochester is 5-2 heading into its Liberty League opener on Saturday at William Smith. Houghton College is 2-4. The Highlanders are 1-1 in the Empire 8. They host Elmira in an E-8 game this Saturday.
 
Amanda Strenk scored three goals for Rochester, raising her season's total to 10 goals. The other goals were scored by Vivienne Tucker, Bella Militi, Karina Bridger, and Nikki Mercer. Mara Heppard,  Susan Bansbach, Zoe Conomikes, and Juney Lee had assists.
 
In goal, Abigail Walrond played the first two quarters and Helen Schmitter played the third and fourth periods. The Houghton keepers shared some time. Sofia Gildenmeister played the first three periods. She made six saves. Kelsey Villatoro played the fourth quarter. She had four stops and allowed one goal. Houghton's Sara Carter had a defensive save in the closing minutes on a shot from Rochester's Nikki Mercer.
 
The Yellowjackets scored two goals in each of the first three quarters and one in the final period. Early in the first period, UR had a flurry of penalty corners in one sequence. On the fourth one, Lee inserted the ball to Strenk at the top of the circle. Too many sticks and defenders in the way of a shot, so Strenk weaved around the defense until she was about five yards from goal. She flipped the ball into the back of the net. Four minutes later, she scored on a penalty stroke, guiding the ball over Gildenmeister's left shoulder.
 
Conomikes hit a low blast off a PC insertion from Heppard midway through the second. It was guided in from close range by Tucker. Strenk completed her hat trick by driving down to near the right endline where she angled it between the near post and the far corner for a 4-0 lead. In the third, Bansbach got to a long shot and tapped a pass over to Militi who touched it into the net. Bridger's goal was taken from the right side of the top of the circle. She managed to guide it just inside the right post.
 
The longest assist was produced by Lee and it completed the scoring. She collected a clearance along the left sideline and dribbled briefly before hitting a long, low pass onto the stick of Mercer. She raced towards goal and beat the keeper on the breakaway.