John Brown women shut out Tabor

On an afternoon where the field seemed to be tilted in favor of the hosts, it took a cheeky play midway through the first half to break the deadlock as the No. 14 John Brown University women's soccer team posted a 2-0 victory over Tabor (Kan.) on Saturday evening at Alumni Field.

With the victory, the Golden Eagles (4-2-1) broke a two-game winless streak and improve to 4-1 on the season against teams not in the Top 25.

While shots were not in short order, scoring chances were as the visiting Bluejays packed the middle of the pitch in an attempt to stifle the JBU offense. It worked -- until the hosts drew a foul at the top of the box in the 26th minute.

While Tabor keeper Tiffany Wainscott was setting up her wall and checking her angles, junior Sienna Nealon stepped into a quick restart -- without asking for 10 yards -- striking the ball to the bottom right corner of the goal, surprising nearly everyone at Alumni Field.

It was her second game-winner of the season as both of her strikes have put a scratch in the win column for John Brown this season.

The goal opened play a bit as just five minutes later, freshman Aubrey Mendez served up a gorgeous cross from the left flank into the box. Senior Anne Metz was able to separate from her defender before depositing a goal past Wainscott to double the hosts' lead. The tally was Metz's third of the season, and Mendez's first collegiate point.

JBU finished the contest with 15 shot attempts and held the visitors to five as the teams battled to a scoreless second half.

Junior Caitlyn Logan picked up her fourth clean sheet of the season -- but not without some drama in the second half. In the 63rd, Tabor's Jacqueline Hurtado let go a curving shot from outside the box that was destined to slip under the crossbar. Logan tracked the attempt well though, and timed a dive to keep the Bluejays off the scoreboard. Later, Hurtado stepped up for a free kick just outside the box, but Logan again made the necessary save despite Hurtado's pacey strike.

Sophomore Alair Love led all players with four shot attempts, while Metz contributed three in the victory.

The Golden Eagles will now take a week off before hosting Georgia Gwinnett on Saturday as a part of the Homecoming Week. The Grizzlies are coming off a strong weekend which included a victory over No. 15 Mobile (Ala.) at the Grizzly Classic in Gwinnett.