Women's Soccer blanks Trine (Ind.) 3-0 at home to open weekend set

By Blake Moore

ADA - The Ohio Northern women's soccer team defeated Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association opponent Trine (Ind.) 3-0 to kick off a two-game weekend set in winning fashion at Kerscher Stadium in Ada Friday evening.

The Polar Bears improve to 2-2-0 on the season by winning their second straight match while Trine falls to 3-3-0.

Northern got off to a quick start against the visiting Thunder when sophomore forward Jenna Fuller (Countryside, Ill./Lyons Township) darted past the Trine defense and buried the opening strike nine minutes into the match.

Senior McKenna Welsh (Westerville/Bishop Hartley) would double the ONU lead twenty-five minutes later, recording her first goal of the 2018 campaign. Following a few nifty moves inside the penalty area to beat the defense, she would find herself free six yards out before tapping a shot into the side netting.

Following the intermission, Fuller finished the evening's scoring in the 54th minute, chipping in a goal over Thunder goalkeeper Jillian Rejczyk from just inside the penalty box. Fellow classmate Siena Ward (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor) would be credited with an assist, the first of her career.

Fuller and sophomore midfielder Abigail Mathews (Liberty Township/Lakota East) each recorded four shots to tie for the team lead.

In net, junior goalkeeper Meagan Grierson (Miamisburg) was contested just once by the Trine offense, which she saved to record the shutout. The victory marks her second clean sheet of the season.

Ohio Northern would hold a sizeable 24-8 advantage in total shots during Friday's nonconference affair, including an 11-1 edge in shots on goal. Additionally, the Polar Bears recorded seven corner kicks in the contest while the Thunder tallied four.

ONU will return to action tomorrow evening, Saturday, September 15, when the Polar Bears host Alma (Mich.) to close out their current three-game home stand. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m at Kerscher Stadium.