(Rightallegiance.com) – A women’s college soccer match between Rutgers and UMass on Sunday turned chaotic after a brawl erupted between two players, resulting in multiple punches thrown and both players being ejected from the game.
The incident occurred in the 55th minute of the match at UMass’s pitch in Amherst, Massachusetts, following a foul committed by Rutgers senior Gia Girman.
The altercation began when Girman fouled a UMass player from behind, sending both to the ground. As the play was stopped, UMass senior Ashley Lamond approached to retrieve the ball from Girman’s feet, sparking tension between the two.
A heated exchange quickly escalated into a physical confrontation when Girman threw the first punch. Lamond retaliated by pulling Girman’s hair and wrestling her to the ground. The fight continued until teammates intervened and separated the two players.
The referee, as anticipated by spectators and players alike, immediately issued red cards to both Girman and Lamond, ejecting them from the match. With both teams reduced to 10 players, the remainder of the game remained tense, with four additional yellow cards issued—two to each side—within the final 35 minutes.
Despite the rough play, UMass emerged victorious, defeating Rutgers 1-0. This victory marked UMass’s first win of the season after previous losses to Syracuse and Army. Rutgers, who had opened their season with a win against NJIT and a draw against Wake Forest, experienced their first loss in this heated match.