WINCHESTER, Va. - The Shenandoah University women's soccer team
earned a third straight victory Thursday night with a 5-1
non-conference win over Marymount University.
Shenandoah (6-4-3) was forced to rally from behind as Marymount
(4-6) struck first on the Sprint Field at Shentel Stadium turf.
Just 38 seconds in, senior Beth Wiggins gave the Saints the
early advantage when she took the opening kick, found an opening
and knocked a 15-yard shot past Hornets keeper Kat Terza.
SU recovered from this opening stunner to take a 2-1 lead
heading into the halftime lockerroom.
In the 27th minute, junior Jessi Dennis
threaded a pass through three MU defenders to a wide-open Hannah Oakes,
who only had to turn and poke the ball past Marymount goalie Gaby
Prellezo.
Ten minutes later, Dennis gave the hosts the lead by lofting a
20-yard shot over Prellezo's head and just under the crossbar.
Despite giving up 13 of the game's 16 shots in the opening half,
the Saints did not fold their tents in the final 45 minutes.
MU had a couple of excellent scoring chances early in the half,
just missing a cross-goal shot from 15-yards out and having a ball
that went in the net called back for an offside.
Less than five minutes after that offside call, Dennis put the
game away for the Hornets by heading home a Brittany
Mason cross from right on the doorstep.
A two-goal-in-53-second-span turned the game into a rout in the
final 10 minutes. Freshman Brittany
Butcher knocked home a rebound of a Kirby
Talbert shot at 81:17 before Talbert got one of her own on a
20-yard volley at 82:10.
Shenandoah finished with a 17-6 advantage and won five of the
game's six corners.
SU is off this weekend and returns to action on Tuesday night at
7 in a non-league game against Catholic.
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