Dolan Boodram Masterclass Keys Pirates in Blowout Win over VCU, 4-0

Sunday, August 24

Richmond, VA

1:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

1-2-1, 0-0-0

VCU

0-2-2, 0-0-0

East Carolina

VCU

Dolan Boodram Masterclass Keys Pirates in Blowout Win over VCU, 4-0

August 24, 2025 | Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

RICHMOND, Va. – The East Carolina Pirates got their first win of the season in dominant fashion with a 4-0 win over VCU on Sunday afternoon at Sports Backers Stadium. Three Pirates scored goals in the game, paced by Caitlen-Star Dolan Boodram's five-point career outing.

The win was the career first for head coach Emily Buccilla.

The Pirates (1-2-1) came out on the front foot in the match, firing eight shots before the Rams (0-2-2) managed their first. Three times, Dolan Boodram looked due to have a goal. First, firing a shot from a tight angle with VCU keeper Mia Pongratz out of position only to see it bounce off of the left post; then on two separate occasions, the sophomore had great chances on goal just saved off of the line by Rams defenders for rare team saves.

Still, the Pirates pushed forward and eventually Dolan Boodram broke through in the 27th minute for her first goal of the season and the team's first from the run of play. The goal came on a gorgeous cross from Maddie Milliron from the left side of the pitch, looping in to the head of the London native, needing only to nod the ball home for the score. The helper was Milliron's first career point.

Owing to the team's frenetic efforts going forward, ECU registered nine corners and 11 shots—seven on goal, matching the team's season high for a game—in the first half alone. The Pirates' previous high for corners in a game was just six with a total of 13 in the prior three games combined.

The Pirates doubled their lead in the 42nd minute when Holly Schlagel fed Kyleen Bents who side-stepped a defender and let rip from the right side of the box, beating Pongratz to the upper right corner for her first career goal in just her second career appearance. The goal took the game into halftime with a 2-0 ECU lead.

The Pirates had a spicy opportunity right out of the gate in the second half when Alyssa Tucker got her head on the ball twice off of a corner in the 48th minute, once finding the crossbar and on the rebound having her shot deflected by Pongratz back off of the crossbar again.

Dolan Boodram notched her first career brace in the 53rd minute when Ella Steck played her into the box with a lobbed pass where she showed great poise one-on-one with the keeper, going off of the far post and in for the score to expand the Pirates' lead to three.

Dolan Boodram kept her foot on the ball and showed her natural unselfish nature in the 58th minute when on a countering chance she slotted the ball over to Holly Schlagel who calmly fired the ball in for her first career goal. Schlagel, a graduate student and team captain, who notably had not appeared in a match 1,057 days with multiple knee injuries entering the season, was rewarded for her dedication to the long road not traveled with a goal which surely felt like a long time coming for the Colorado native.

In goal for the Pirates, Olivia Dietrich went just under 65 minutes before Kayce Taylor entered in relief. Taylor made the team's lone save in the combined shutout.

Notables

Five points for Dolan Boodram are the most by a Pirate since Carsen Parker has as many (two goals, one assist) against SMU on March 21, 2021.
The win is the Pirates' first in eight tries at VCU.
Three Pirates recorded their first career goal or assist in the game (Bents, Milliron, Schlagel).
The Pirates recorded 21 shots with 14 on goal and 14 corner kicks in the game. All season highs.

Up Next: The Pirates return home to take on UNCW at 6 p.m. on Thursday evening on Bill Clark Homes Field at Johnson Stadium. The game is free to attend and will be available for streaming on ESPN+ for fans wishing to tune in prior to ECU football's season opener at NC State.