(CLEVELAND) – After honoring seniors Marissa Harkins and Tori Wilson, the Truett McConnell University women’s soccer team extended their winning streak to nine with a dominating victory over Appalachian Athletic Conference foe Kentucky Christian University (14-0) on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Bears improved to 9-0-1, 9-0-1 AAC on the season, while the Knights fell to 0-11, 0-11 AAC.
“It was a great way to recognize our two seniors,” Head Coach McDowell said. “They have both been great and loyal servant-leaders over their four years here as they have transformed the standards and expectations of the program. We will definitely miss them when they are gone but it was definitely a great send off for them.”
It only took four minutes for the Lady Bears to get up on the scoreboard as sophomore Lauren Bergevine scored her fifth career goal on a cross from the feet of junior Sydney League. One minute later, sophomore Ashleigh Smitherman scored her fifth goal of the season, which was also assisted by Leauge (2-0). In the eighth minute, sophomore Lyndsey Darden found the back of the net for the first time in her TMU career (3-0). Fellow sophomore Kristin Beasley was credited the assist. TMU was capable of scoring four more times before the half (7-0), and it was only up from there.
Still holding the Knights shotless, the Lady Bears scored seven more times in the second half (14-0), which featured a goal from senior Harkins. Overall, TMU tallied 56 shots, with 31 on goal. The Bears also earned a total of 10 corner kicks.
Individually, Bergevine and Smitherman led the way with two goals apiece, while Madison Wright, Darden, Harkins, Natalie Alamri, JK Hughes, Hope Kenney, Brianna Hernandez, Nadia Basto, Whitney Boehm and Sarah Currey all scored one goal apiece. League led with three assists, while Beasley was credited two. Hernandez led with eight shots, six on goal, and Alamri followed with six shots.
Up next, the Lady Bears will hit the road for Point University on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 2:30 p.m., before returning home to the TMU Volleyball/Wrestling Arena on Saturday, Nov. 7, to host Bluefield College.
