Center Valley, PA - Sophomore forward CARLIE VAN TASSEL registered the first hat trick of her career helping Montclair State to a 5-2 victory over DeSales University on Wednesday evening.

LINDSEY BICHER and LINSEY CHAMPA each had a goal as the Red Hawks upped their record to 5-3 ahead of their conference opener at Rowan on Friday, October 1.

Van Tassel got MSU on the board less than two minutes into the contest as she took a long pass and dribbled past a defender. The NJAC Rookie of the Year from this past spring deeked the goaltender before backhanding a shot into the cage for the 1-0 lead.

Van Tassel made it a two-goal advantage eight minutes later with her fifth goal of the year. Bicher flipped a pass into the circle where Van Tassel was there to redirect it by Bulldogs goalkeeper Gianna Duddy making the score 2-0 with 5:04 left in the opening period.

Bicher increased the lead near the latter portion of the second quarter. GAB MAISTO fired a shot that Duddy stopped. Fortunately, for the Red Hawks, the carom came out to Bicher, who pushed the rebound over the line for her second goal of the season.

Leading 3-0 at halftime, Montclair State saw their lead cut to a goal in the opening five minutes of the third period. Tyra Wingle got DeSales on the board 2:39 into the new half with a Grace DeThomas goal two minutes later pulling DSU within 3-2.  Champa answered that with 1:08 to go in the third as she banged in a rebound of her own shot that had clanged off the post.

Van Tassel collected her third goal in similar fashion in the fourth knocking in a rebound off a Bicher shot that had hit the post.

Goalkeeper LAUREN PICKUL stopped 12 shots for the Red Hawks. Duddy and Kayla Yeatman had one save apiece for DeSales.