COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – An offensive explosion powered the Ursinus women's soccer team past Penn State Brandywine 6-0 on a rainy home opener at Patterson Field.

Ursinus senior Mackenzie Groff and freshman Skylar Knapp stole the show with two goals apiece. Groff's pair of tallies marked her second game doing so in only four matches this season, while Knapp netted her first career markers as a Bear.

Knapp was joined by two other Bear freshman to score their first career goals, as freshmen Rachel Burcaw and Kelly Gardus opened their collegiate accounts in the second half. Sophomore Julia Ewing assisted on both Groff goals for her first career points.

From start to finish the Bears (2-1-1) were on the prowl, unleashing 23 shots and 13 on goal. Penn State Brandywine (0-2) was limited by the Bears' strong play to one shot on goal. The Lions' Brianna Banks took the only shot for the visitors in the 15^th minute.

Getting the scoring going for the Bears was Groff in the 9^th minute. Ewing turned a turnover into gold, heading the Brandywine keeper's goal kick directly into the path of Groff, who dribbled into the box before taking a left-footed shot into the lower right corner of the goal. The assist was the first career point for Ewing.

In the 18^th minute, Groff scored her second goal of the game, her 14^th career goal which puts her in a tie for eighth all-time at Ursinus. Groff retrieved a through ball from Ewing, then dribbled around the box, turned and beat the keeper with a shot to the bottom right. 

Burcaw netted her first collegiate goal in the 30^th minute, latching onto a long through ball from senior Kasey Sheahan before using a touch to get around the Lions goalkeeper and poking a left-footed shot into an open net.

Gardus was the beneficiary of a beautiful tic-tac-toe sequence, as sophomore Angela Gervasi played a through ball to Burcaw, who sent a cross into the path of Gardus for a simple finish about five minutes later. The Bears took a 4-0 advantage to the break.

Knapp scored her first career goal just 15 seconds into the secons stanza and then scored her second in the 55^th minute.

Ursinus sophomore keepers Sabrina Doherty and Sarah Embley combined for a shutout, sharing the net for a half apiece. Doherty made the only save in the first half.

In a busy night between the pipes, Lions keeper Emily Bush made six saves.

The Bears are back in action Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. home non-conference match against Elizabethtown.