SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- After 45 minutes of scoreless soccer, senior striker Laura Garcia blasted the matchs first goal 29 seconds into the second half and the Golden Eagles (8-4-2, 4-2-1 SAC) ended its three-match winless streak with a 3-0 shutout victory over Southwestern A.G. (Texas) tonight at Alumni Field.
Although the score was only 3-0 and 0-0 at the half, JBU racked up a 40-3 shooting advantage over the Lions, its highest shot output of the season. John Brown forced SAGU keeper Amber Belisle to make 10 saves in the match on 13 shots on goal. Conversely, junior goalkeeper Kristen Morency picked up her 23rd career shutout, seventh of the season, in a two-save, clean-sheet effort.
“I was proud of our effort tonight,†head coach Kathleen Paulsen noted. “We kept persevering even though in the first half the goals were not coming. We needed that today. There is a quick turnaround before our next game and we are looking forward to a great matchup.â€
The Golden Eagles enjoyed an 18-1 shooting margin in the first half, but couldnt find the back of the net on numerous occasions while Belisle recorded seven saves in the initial stanza. The second half proved more fruitful, however, as JBU broke out with three goals on a 22-2 shot advantage.
Garcia struck first just 29 seconds into the second half off a beautiful blast downfield from senior defender Rachel Harris. Harris well-placed pass landed in the path of Garcia, who let a shot go from the right flank, beating Belisle for a 1-0 JBU advantage.
The floodgates opened from there as senior midfielder Casey OBrien tallied her third goal of the season five minutes later in the 51st minute. Sophomore midfielder Sara Lachance forced a SAGU turnover just outside the box before dishing off a side pass to OBrien. OBrien did the rest by one-touching the pass with a strong left-footed shot from the left flank, sneaking past Belisle on her right. Lachances helper was her fourth of the 2014 campaign.
Seven minutes later, junior defender Alex Fahr scored her first goal of the season. Sophomore midfielder Savannah Beths corner kick looked destined for the side of the Lion net, but freshman defender Samantha Weber managed to deflect the ball back into the box, where Fahr rifled a kick to the top of the net, extending the Golden Eagle lead to 3-0 where it would finish.
The John Brown defense snuffed out any chance the Lions looked to create throughout the contest, including allowing SAGU to cross midfield on a mere two occasions in the first half.
Beth sent a team-leading six shot attempts towards the Lion net while Lachance, OBrien and freshman forward Sara Frey each had five shot attempts in the win. Sophomore forward Braydi Frederick tallied four of her own while a trio of Golden Eagles accumulated three shots apiece. Mariah Sanchez had two of three shots for SAGU (1-12-2, 0-6-0 SAC) in the loss.
John Brown will return to the pitch on Saturday (Oct. 25) when it hosts Texas Wesleyan to a 5:30 p.m. tilt at Alumni Field to close out the home schedule of the regular season.
