The American University women's soccer team registered three first-half goals to pull away from the Virginia Military Institute en route to a 6-2 exhibition victory Saturday afternoon at Reeves Field. Six different Eagles scored as AU outshot VMI by a 28-8 margin.

Junior Jasmine Mohandesi got American on the board in the fourth minute on a penalty kick. The free kick was setup moments before when she was taken down on a drive inside the box by a VMI defender.

After several scoring opportunities, the Eagles scored their second goal in the 29th minute when sophomore MacKenzie Kerrigan fed a cross to the head of senior Mikaila Weaver in front of the goal, who slid it past VMI goalkeeper Kirsten Hancock.

Less than four minutes later, freshman Lindsay Muri capitalized on a loose ball in front of the goal to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead. The play was setup on sophomore Katarina Kingston took a long-range shot, which forced Hancock to make a jumping save. Muri was in front of the goal to cash in on the rebound, and American took that three-goal advantage into halftime.

AU continued to apply the pressure at the start of the second half, and registered its fourth goal when sophomore Brenna Smith fired a shot from just inside the goalbox following a loose ball scramble. Smith's shot appeared to get deflected by a VMI defender and kick high into the back of the net. Less than three minutes later, AU extended the advantage to 5-0 on a long-range score by sophomore Shaena Alfonsi.

VMI, however, scored two of the match's final three goals over the last 30 minutes to set the final margin at 6-2. VMI's first score was credited to Simone Jimenez after a cross that was deflected by AU goalkeeper Mary Theresa Callahan, setting up Jimenez with the easy close-range opportunity. Junior Samantha Trotta fired back in the 65th minute for American as she took a cross from Mohandesi and navigated a header into the back of the net. Ten minutes later, VMI's Liz Affronti ended the second-half scoring frenzy when she one-timed a high-looping shot over the head of Callahan.

The Eagles held a plus-20 advantage in shots, which included a 17-3 margin in shots on goal. Freshman Nicole Paviglionite led AU with six shots while Kingston recorded four.

American will open the regular season next Friday, August 19 against UMBC. Match time from Reeves Field is scheduled for 4 p.m., and it can be watched live on Eagles Vision TV, part of AUeagles.com.