WILMINGTON, N.C. – Scoring the most goals in a game since 2019, VCU Women' Soccer (1-1) took home its first win of the season with a 5-0 victory at UNCW (0-2) on Sunday afternoon.
 
Leading the way for VCU was senior Milica Bulatovic who had herself a day on the pitch, scoring a brace for the second time in her career while adding an assist for a career-high five points. While Allison Karpovich and Stevie Mike combined for the first shutout of the 2023 season.
 
"We looked more like ourselves today and that was great to see," said head coach Lindsey Martin. "As a staff, we are very pleased with our response to a poor performance two days ago. To bounce back on the road, on short rest, and earn a resounding 5-0 win was a great testament to our character."
 
Redshirt senior Anna Bagley added her second goal of the season and first assist of the year, while Jordan Faveri netted her first goal as a Ram to highlight the VCU scoring. While on the defensive end, the VCU backline was stout, holding UNCW to just two shots and allowing no shots on goal or corners.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: UNCW gifted VCU the first goal of the game on an own goal, scored in the 18th minute and it gave VCU a quick 1-0 lead. As things rolled into the 24th minute, and VCU up 1-0, the Rams lined up to take the first corner of the game.
 
Bagley smacked one into the box and found Bulatovic's left foot. The Ram senior smashed home her first goal of the season to give the Rams a 2-0 lead. VCU held that lead into the break, ending the half with its fourth corner of the period.
 
In the 49th minute, junior Kanna Matsuhisa fed Bulatovic who added to her tally on the day with a goal sent down the middle to make it 3-0 VCU. Bulatovic added a shot that was saved by UNCW's Hanna Wise in the 63rd minute as the Rams kept the pressure on.
 
During the 81st minute, VCU clamped down on its lead when Bagley netted home her second of the season on Bulatovic's first assist of the season and fifth point of the game. The final touch in the match came on Faveri's first goal as a Ram, when the graduate student put one home off her left foot in the 89th minute.
 
GAME NOTES: Bulatovic's five points are the most points in a game for a Ram since Samantha Jerabek scored three goals for six points against Old Dominion on Feb. 11, 2021 … Bulatovic's two goal and one assist game is the first by a Ram since Jerabek did the feat on Sept. 29, 2019 against George Mason … The five goals are the most in a game for a Ram team since beating George Mason 5-1 in 2019 … It's the largest margin of victory for a VCU squad since a 5-0 win at Rhode Island in 2018.
 
UP NEXT: VCU returns home on Thursday, Aug. 24 when Old Dominion comes to Sports Backers Stadium for a 6 p.m. kickoff.