VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (EMU Athletics) – In a midweek matchup, the Royals traveled east to the shore to visit the Royals of Regent University.

Despite an early first-half goal by Regent, EMU’s offense struck for five unanswered goals, including a hat trick by Bridget Hay, to give the EMU Royals a 5-1 win.

Records
EMU 1-3-2, 0-0 ODAC | Regent University 1-3-0, 0-0 C2C

Highlights
• Both teams came out strong at the beginning of the first half; however, it was the Regent side that managed to get on the scoreboard first after a scramble in the box from a free kick in the sixth minute of the game.
• EMU tied the game just a minute later after a beautiful header from Hay, from a corner kick taken by Hannah Kepler.
• EMU’s offense kept the pressure on to try to score their second goal of the match. The pressure almost proved successful in the 19th minute when Hay played a through ball that Kepler would strike. Regent’s goalkeeper got a hand on that ball, but the ball kept rolling before Regent’s defender was able to deny EMU’s second goal after a line clearance.
• Nonetheless, EMU’s second goal of the match would come in the 23rd minute when Hay sent a cross into the box that the defenders cleared away; however, Esme Cardoso would capture the rebound to dribble her way out of the defender’s mark and score her first goal of the season after a shot with her left foot that crossed the goalkeeper’s guard.
• EMU was nowhere close to being done for the first half as Hay scored her second goal of the match and third for EMU when she took the ball from outside of the box, dribbled past two Regent defenders, and got her shot past the goalkeeper with a low ball to end the half.
• At the start of the second half, EMU would not settle with the 3-1 score and wanted to increase their advantage. This didn’t take long as Cardoso got her second goal of the match in the 52nd minute after a scramble in the box from a corner kick, making it a 4-1 lead for EMU.
• The fifth and final goal for EMU came only 25 seconds later when a Regent defender lost the ball in their own field. Hay took advantage of the loose ball to score her first career hat trick and the last of the day for the Royals, who took home their first win of the season.
• Goalkeeper CJ Jefferson came in for EMU in the second half and registered two saves for the Royals’ cause.
• Hay’s hat trick marks the first time an EMU player has recorded three goals in a match since 2024 when Leah Beachy scored three in a win over Hollins University.

Statistical Leaders
Goals: Hay (3), Cardoso (2)
Assists: Kepler (1)
Saves: Jefferson (2)

What’s Next
The Royals will be back in action Saturday when they travel to Frederick, Maryland, to face the Hood College Blazers. Kickoff is set for 5:00 PM.

— EMU Athletics —