During a women’s soccer match between Rutgers and UMass, a significant altercation broke out involving players Gia Girman from Rutgers and Ashley Lamond from UMass. The fight began after Girman fouled a UMass player, leading Lamond to confront her, resulting in punches being thrown and both players being ejected. The brawl occurred in the 36th minute, and despite the chaos, UMass managed to secure a 1-0 victory. The incident has sparked widespread discussion in the sports community about sportsmanship and conduct in collegiate athleticsSporting News
A heated altercation broke out during a women’s college soccer game between Rutgers and UMass on Sunday, escalating into a full-blown brawl involving multiple punches after a foul was called. The incident, which took place in Amherst, Massachusetts, saw senior players Gia Girman from Rutgers and Ashley Lamond from UMass at the center of the conflict, prompting their teammates to intervene and separate them.
Punches thrown between players during Rutgers-UMass women’s soccer match
— Sports Schedule (@schedulesportz) August 26, 2024
The trouble began in the 55th minute when Girman committed a foul from behind on a UMass player, sending both athletes to the ground. As Lamond approached to collect the ball near Girman’s feet, tensions flared, leading to a physical confrontation. The two players exchanged pushes and shoves until Girman threw the first punch. What followed was a chaotic scuffle, with Lamond pulling Girman’s hair and wrestling her to the ground.
The referee quickly responded to the situation by issuing red cards to both Girman and Lamond, ejecting them from the game as expected by those present on the field and in the stands. As a result, both teams were forced to play with 10 players for the remainder of the match. The tension remained high throughout, with four additional yellow cards being issued — two to each team — in the final 35 minutes of play. Despite the heated atmosphere, the Minutewomen of UMass managed to secure a 1-0 victory over the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers.
Punches thrown in fight between players at UMass, Rutgers, women’s soccer match https://t.co/SY7bJUZdcl
— Ellen Kagan (@kagan_ellen) August 26, 2024
This fiery match marked Rutgers’ third outing of the new season. Previously, they had achieved a 1-0 win over NJIT in their season opener on August 15, followed by a 1-1 draw against Wake Forest on August 18. For UMass, the game against Rutgers represented their first win of the season after two earlier losses: a 2-0 defeat by Syracuse and a narrow 3-2 loss to Army.
The aftermath of this clash will likely be a topic of discussion in the coming days, as both teams reflect on their performance and prepare for future matches.
Key Points:
i. A brawl erupted during a women’s college soccer game between Rutgers and UMass, sparked by a foul and resulting in punches being thrown.
ii. Rutgers’ Gia Girman and UMass’ Ashley Lamond were ejected after exchanging punches and being separated by teammates.
iii. The game remained intense with four yellow cards issued, and UMass ultimately won 1-0.
iv. This was Rutgers’ third game of the season, previously winning against NJIT and drawing with Wake Forest.
v. UMass secured its first win of the season after earlier losses to Syracuse and Army.
Susan Guglielmo – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
