Aliso Viejo, Calif. – Arizona Christian University freshman forward Chelsea Ruland (Tucson, Ariz./Pusch Ridge Christian Academy) scored her first two collegiate goals and assisted on ACU's other two goals as the Firestorm posted a 4-1 victory over Mills College (0-3-0) at Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 10.
Arizona Christian (1-1-0) returns to southern California next week to compete against Bethesda Christian University, Friday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. and Hope International University at Fullerton Junior College, Saturday, Sept. 17, at 1:30 p.m. Hope International will be a conference opponent for the Firestorm next season when ACU becomes the eighth member of the GSAC.
ACU head coach Carl Cecil commented, "Today was a solid team effort for us, and we played for the win. The defense distributed better than in our first match on Friday, and the midfielders did a good job of playing the ball to the feet of the forwards."
Ruland, a two-time Arizona All-State player and State 1-A/3-A Player of the Year with 109 career goals in high school, gave ACU the kind of beginning Cecil hoped for when she stole the ball from a Mills defender and shot the ball past Mills goalkeeper Rene'e Gallison at the 11:22 mark of the first half. At the 29:30 mark, Ruland shot a low line drive at Gallison, who made the save but gave up a rebound which caromed directly to freshman forward Vanessa Lopez (Phoenix, Ariz./Washington H.S.) who scored her first collegiate goal from point-blank range, givng ACU a 2-0 lead.
Ruland took a pass from freshman midfielder Mindy Kleppe (Vista, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista H.S.) at 35:24 and buried the shot from in front of the net for her second goal. Just 10 seconds later, Mills scored its only goal, with midfielder Meghan Hinsch hitting a shot off an assist from Chelsea Satterwhite. ACU maintained a 3-1 lead going into the halftime intermission.
Ruland, who was knocked hard to the ground several times during the match, crossed a pass to sophomore midfielder Krista Ryker (Prescott, Ariz./Prescott H.S.), who scored her first goal of the season and third career collegiate goal at the 55:15 mark. In ACU's first two matches this season, Ruland has scored 2 goals and 3 assists for 7 points.
Arizona Christian outshot Mills, 25-9, and totaled 11 shots on goal while allowing just four to Mills. Freshman goalkeeper Kim Arias-Castro (Avondale, Ariz./La Joya Community High School) saved two shots and allowed Mills' only goal in the first half and then moved to a field position for the second half. Freshman forward Carmen Zamora (Phoenix, Ariz./La Joya Community High School) started the match for ACU at a forward position and moved to goalkeeper for the second half. Zamora allowed no goals and stopped the only shot on goal she faced.
