GREENVILLE, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson women's soccer team was able to hold off a late Thiel rally and come away with a 3-2 Presidents' Athletic Conference road win on Monday, Oct. 16.
 
The Presidents improve to 8-5-1 overall in 2017, including a mark of 3-2 in PAC matches, and Thiel falls to 3-11 overall and 0-5 in conference action.
 
Hanging on to a 2-1 lead, Tatiana Ruzzini (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) found Ashton Grimm (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville/Saint Francis (Pa.)) inside the box for an insurance score, Grimm's team-leading ninth goal of the season and Ruzzini's team-best eighth assist of the campaign.
 
Grimm's strike in the 80th minute proved to be the game-winner as Thiel scored in the 87th minute to cut the W&J lead back down to one.
 
Ruzzini gave the Presidents their second lead of the game with her fourth goal of the season coming in the 61st minute as she shot from inside the penalty box and found room inside the right post, marking her third game of the season with at least one goal and one assist and the second consecutive such occurrence.
 
The Tomcats tied the game at one goal a side in the 31st minute, just 11 minutes after Brianna Floryshak (Berwick, Pa./Berwick Area) put the Presidents on the board following a free kick, her first goal of the season.
 
Ruzzini's goal was one of five attempts she took in the game, all finishing on target, while Grimm tallied a team-best seven shots. Grimm, Josie Madden (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) and Sarah Refosco (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) each put two shots on goal in the game to provide an extra offensive punch throughout the game.
 
Beth Boyles (Dundee, Ohio/Hiland) was credited with her second win of the season and made one save as the Presidents' goalkeeper.
 
W&J outshot Thiel by a 25-3 margin for the game and put 15 shots on goal to just three by the Tomcats.
 
The Presidents will return to the pitch on Wednesday, Oct. 16, when they host Saint Vincent in a 7:30 p.m. PAC home match.