SILOAM SPRINGS -- Freshman Alyssa Henderson posted a second-half brace, and sophomore Emma Schoenberg's shot from the slot in the 11th minute was all the scoring the Golden Eagles needed, but the top-seeded No. 12 John Brown University women's soccer team featured five goalscorers in a 6-0 trampling of eighth-seeded Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Thursday (April 1) afternoon at Alumni Field.
Junior Paige Kula's blast from the left flank doubled the John Brown (10-0-0) lead in the 32nd minute, then the hosts received four goals from the substitutes, including two players' first-career goals.
Henderson posted back-to-back goals in the 70th and 80th minutes, while senior Gracie McKinney poked in a corner service at the back post for the first girl of her career to make it 6-0.
Senior Vanessa Reynoso converted a Pioneer turnover into a one-touch blast to the left side of goal in the 64th to build a 4-0 lead.
Senior Anna Schuchardt's pass out to the left flank sprung senior Sienna Nealon, who played a pretty cross into the box. There, Schoenberg made one juke, and tucked in a perfectly-placed strike to the inside of the left post to give John Brown a 1-0 lead just over 10 minutes into the afternoon. It was the first game-winner of her career.
In the 32nd, Kula doubled the John Brown lead when her seemingly innocuous cross from the left sideline floated under the crossbar and in past a diving Iris Nevarez for a 2-0 lead that would hold until the second half.
Despite outshooting the visitors 12-0 in the first half, it was clear the Golden Eagles carried memories of the Pioneers upsetting John Brown in the 2019 quarterfinals at the front of their collective mind, and the Golden Eagles continued to pour on the pressure in the second half.
Reynoso's strike, her fourth of the season, ticked the JBU lead up one to 3-0. Then, it was the Henderson show.
Henderson's first career goal came off an unlucky bounce that was destined to be senior Audrey Balafas' second goal of the season. Instead, the ball deflected off the inside of the right post and through the box, where Henderson stood in wait. Nevaraz made an incredible diving save on Henderson's first offering, but she wouldn't be denied a second time as Nevaraz was left with no help.
Ten minutes later, reminiscent of Kula's magic in the first half, Henderson collected a failed clear, beat one defender clean, then let go a 28-yard strike from the left wing to the right pocket of the goal, just under the crossbar to push the Golden Eagle lead to five.
Still with time remaining, Henderson's corner service in the 87th minute found McKinney at the back post for a poke-in. The 6-0 score remained through full time.
A final 30-2 shot margin was the widest of the season, yet senior Caitlyn Logan did make a second-half save, and later willed a Wayland attempt over the crossbar in close range.
With the victory, the Golden Eagles advance to the semifinals, where John Brown will host Oklahoma City on Monday (April 5) evening at 6 p.m. Oklahoma City soundly defeated a heavily injured Texas Wesleyan side by an 8-0 score.
John Brown defeated Oklahoma City 8-0 on March 13, powered by Schoenberg's two goals and freshman Lauren Walters' trio of assists.
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