Women's Soccer | 9/20/2009 5:31:25 PM

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POTSDAM, NY -- The RIT (1-3-3) women's soccer team defeated Clarkson University (2-4-0) 2-0 on Sunday afternoon. The win was the 100th in Head Coach Tom Natalie's illustrious career at RIT.

RIT out shot Clarkson 17-13 and had seven corner kicks to the Golden Knight's five.The Tigers committed nine fouls to Clarkson's seven.

Senior captain Ashley Pezze (Schenectady, NY/Guilderland) gave RIT a 1-0 lead early in the first half. She scored in the 18th minute on a header off a free-kick by Chelsea Shoemaker (Rochester, NY/Aquinas).

In the 22nd minute Lauren Tracy (Acton, MA/Acton-Boxborough) gave RIT a 2-0 lead. She took a pass from Kim Hunt (Brockport, NY/Brockport) and fired a low shot into the right corner of the net for her first goal of the season.

Ashley Valenti (Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima) and the RIT defense took over from there, shutting out the Golden Knights. Valenti picked up her first win of the season, making six stops. Alyssa Henkel (Newark, NY/Newark) played the final 17 minutes, allowing no goals and making one save.

Natalie, RIT's all-time leader in wins, is a two-time Empire 8 Coach of the Year selection, in 2000 and 2006. He has led the Tigers to four Empire 8 Tournament appearances (2002, 2003, 2006 and 2008), seven appearances in the NYSWCAA Tournament  and 11 post-season berths overall.

Natalie and the Tigers are off until Saturday, September 26 when they face Keuka College. Kick-off is at 12 pm in Keuka Park, New York.