MIAMI (Aug. 19, 2021) - The FIU women's soccer team kicked off the 2021 fall season with a clean-sheet victory over Stetson, as the Panthers defeated the Hatters by a score of 2-0 in Miami on Thursday night behind Laia Muñoz Danon's brace.
 
FIU now stands at 1-0 on the young season, while Stetson falls to 0-1.
 
The win marks FIU's first over Stetson since the 2014 season, while Munoz Danon recorded her first brace in a Panther uniform. FIU has now won two consecutive season openers under Head Coach Jonathan Garbar.
 
The Panthers were quick to pounce in the opening period when Kédie Johnson set up Munoz Danon for FIU's first score in the 14th minute of action. Johnson found Munoz Danon in the box, who then chipped the ball over both the Hatter keeper and the defender in front of her, giving FIU an early lead. Munoz Danon then tacked on another goal in the 24th minute with a scoring strike to the left post from the penalty arc. Idelys Vazquez sparked the play from the right wing with a cross into the box for Sydney Amparo, who redirected the pass to a wide-open Munoz Danon. The Panthers led the Hatters in shot attempts during the opening period by a margin of 7-2, including four on-goal, while allowing zero on-goal attempts from Stetson.
 
FIU's attack kept applying pressure on the Hatters following the intermission, as the Blue & Gold fired off another five shots on-goal and led the second-half shot column by a tally of 10-1. The Panther defense held strong in the final 45 minutes of play to keep the Hatters scoreless, as FIU allowed zero shots on-goal and secured the shutout over their in-state foe.

For the night, the Panthers totaled 17 shot attempts to Stetson's three.
 
Ithaisa Vinoly kept a clean sheet for FIU and played a full 90-minutes in her first start in net as a Panther. Johnson, Amparo, and Vazquez recorded their first assists of the 2021 season.
 
UP NEXT
FIU will travel north this weekend for its first road match of the season, when the Panthers take on the Jacksonville Dolphins on Sunday, August 22, beginning at 11 a.m. ET.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIUWSoc Instagram and @FIUWSoccer on Facebook and Twitter. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram