Freshmen Aspen Robinson, Jastin Redman and Anne Metz each posted a goal and an assist, and the John Brown women's soccer team moved one step closer to the .500 mark with a resounding 4-1 victory over Rogers State (Okla.) on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field.
The win was the third in four games for the Golden Eagles (4-5-0), while the Hillcats (0-9-0) are still in search of their first win of the season.
In a contest that saw the hosts outshoot RSU, 17-12, John Brown posted a pair of goals in each half, including Robinson's first game-winner of the year in the 43rd minute of play, responding to a surprising 19th-minute equalizer from the Hillcats.
"There are some things from today's match that we can learn from," said JBU head coach Kathleen Paulsen. "Especially in the first half, I don't believe we performed well. We need to grow from that, but we played a much better half in the second."
At halftime, the Golden Eagles held a narrow 2-1 lead as both teams fired eight shots in the first period. JBU turned the momentum in the second half, out-scoring the Hillcats 2-0 and owning a 9-4 shooting advantage in the frame.
After RSU's Breanna Ray's goal in the 19th minute that came from the top of the box and floated just under the crossbar past junior keeper Hannah Poor, Robinson made sure the hosts would enter halftime with the lead. Freshman Anna Brown started the play up the right flank in the 43rd minute and dished off a pass to Redman at the right edge of the box. Redman fired a shot toward the net that grazed RSU keeper Addy Pritchard, but managed to squeak through towards the goal line. An oncoming Robinson tapped in the go-ahead goal just inches from the goal line.
John Brown scored first for the fifth time this season when freshman Melody Hagen capped off an impressive passing play in the box. Sophomore Sarah Hill earned her first of three assists on the match when she began JBU's counter attack in the midfield by sending a ball up the right flank to Brown. Brown maneuvered back towards the box before sending a pass to Hagen and, undefended, Hagen knocked home her third of the year from just five yards out, placing the Golden Eagles ahead, 1-0.
Hill started a counter in the 66th minute and played a ball to Metz in the right flank. Turning towards the middle, Metz played a perfect touch into the middle past four RSU defender to Redman. Streaking in all alone, Redman faked and placed a right-footed soft touch to the left post, netting her team-leading fifth goal of the season.
Up 3-1, the Golden Eagles placed an exclamation point on the match just three minutes later. Hill, for the third time, sent a perfectly textured ball up the right side to Robinson. Robinson sent a left-footed cross to the far right post for an oncoming Metz, who tapped home her second of the season.
Poor was called upon four times on the afternoon, collecting three saves in the victory. She now evens her season record in goal to 4-4-0. Pritchard, making her first start of the year, yielded four while making five saves in the loss for Rogers State.
John Brown traveled to Shawnee, Okla., to take on St. Gregory's on Tuesday for a SAC match. Results were not available at presstime.
Sports on 09/30/2015