Freshman Kristen Howell netted the 13th hat trick in program history and sophomore Aspen Robinson added a pair of goals to lead No. 20 John Brown University past Oklahoma City 5-0 on Tuesday evening at Alumni Field.
The Golden Eagles (9-1-1, 1-0-0 SAC) maintained its lead in the Sooner Athletic Conference, out-shooting City (3-7-1, 1-2-0) by a 26-2 margin, including 17-0 in the second half. It was the largest margin of victory by JBU over the Stars in the two programs' history, dating back to 2002.
Sophomore Jastin Redman added a pair of assists while freshman Katherine Haar and junior Samantha Weber each tallied assists in the win.
Robinson netted her team-leading 10th and 11th goals of the season, taking over the scoring lead in the Sooner Athletic Conference. Senior Kristen Morency made one save for her program-best 32nd clean sheet of her career.
Howell scored the game-winner just 45 seconds into the contest after Redman's flick over the City back line broke Howell into a one-on-one with OCU keeper Kirsten Thomas. Howell chipped a shot over Thomas to hand the visitors a quick 1-0 advantage.
Just eight minutes later Howell continued her career-best outing when Redman again fed her across the top of the 18-yard box. Starting at the left side of the box and crossed to the right, Redman's ball skipped over the City back line into a perfect running lane for Howell. Again in a one-on-one with Thomas, Howell chipped a shot over Thomas and to the left side of the goal, adding the JBU insurance marker.
To cap off a half highlighted by a 9-2 shooting advantage, Robinson tripled the host's lead when she finished off a centering pass from freshman Katherine Haar from seven yards out in the 25th minute.
The shot of the afternoon came in the 55th minute as Robinson benefited from a City turnover and rocketed a 25-yard blast from the top of the box. The ball hit the underside of the crossbar, bounced straight down, and straight back up under the netting for a 4-0 JBU advantage.
Howell's hat trick was finally completed in the 85th minute as a result of Weber's cross from the right flank. While a Stars defender was trying to corral the ball, Howell crashed the net and struck the bouncing ball past Thomas.
JBU was scheduled to return to action on Saturday against St. Gregory as part of homecoming weekend. Results were not available at presstime.
The Golden Eagles return to the field at 2 p.m. this Saturday against Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
Weber named Defensive Player of the Week
After notching six points and tying a six-year-old record, JBU junior Samantha Weber was honored by being named this week's Sooner Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the conference offices announced Monday afternoon.
It was Weber's first-career weekly honor by the Sooner Athletic Conference.
In a lopsided 15-0 win at Bacone (Okla.) on Oct. 1, in which numerous team and individual records either fell or were matched, Weber tallied up one goal and four assists (six points). Weber's lone goal came in the 40th minute and made the game 5-0, closing out the scoring in the first half. She racked up two assists in each stanza.
Additionally, Weber was part of a back line in a pair of shutouts, including a 1-0 win at Mid-America Christian (Okla.) on Sept. 28. Weber and the back line allowed just six shots towards the JBU goal over both matches, only four of which required a Morency save.
Sports on 10/09/2016