Women's Soccer wins fifth straight game with 8-0 route of Muskingum

By Caleb Scott

ADA -- The Ohio Northern women's soccer team won its fifth straight game and scored eight times as it defeated Muskingum 8-0 Saturday afternoon at McConagha Stadium.

The Polar Bears improve to 12-3-0 overall and 6-1-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, while the Muskies fall to 4-12-0, 1-6-0.

The eight goals are the most the Ohio Northern women's soccer team have scored in a game since a 10-2 victory over Muskingum on Oct. 03, 2009.

Senior Shelby Stephens (Cypress, Tex./Cypress Woods) scored twice and added an assist to lead Northern offensively.

Just over a minute into the contest Stephens was able to find freshman Alyssa Manley (Lima/Bath) in front of the goal to set up the first score of the afternoon and give ONU a 1-0 lead.

In the sixth minute of the contest, sophomore Sarah Puntel (Strongsville/Strongsville) would score as freshman Haley Moses (Mason/William Mason) found her for a long range shot that found the back of the net to push the lead to 2-0.

Stephens would score her first goal of the day in the 19th minute as she scored from 18 yards out to make it 3-0.

Stephens would score once more in the 23rd minute as Puntel set her up to give ONU a 4-0 lead at the intermission.

Just under a minute into the second half, junior Mary Kate Munz (Gahanna/Gahanna Lincoln) would miss a shot off the post before senior Ellie Schmalzl (Walton, Ky./Ryle) beat the MU keeper with a header to push the lead to 5-0.

In the 65th minute sophomore Kelleigh Pier (Mason, Mich./Mason High) was able to find junior Anna Niemeyer (Loveland/Loveland) in front of the goalies box before Niemeyer found the back of the net to extend the lead to 6-0.

Freshman Annie McArn (Bay Village/Western Reserve Academy) would score her first collegiate goal in the 81st minute as she scored on a free kick from 25 yards out.

Munz would help ONU seal the victory in the 84th minute as she played a corner kick to junior Hailey Martin (Cincinnati/Princeton) and Martin was able to find the back of the net as ONU went on to win 8-0.

Freshman Meagan Grierson (Miamisburg/Miamisburg) earned the victory in the goal for ONU and improved to 12-3-0 on the season.

Northern outshot Muskingum 30-4 and won the corner kick battle by a 7-0 margin.

The Polar Bears will return to action Wednesday evening as they travel to Baldwin Wallace to take on the Yellow Jackets at 7 pm.