The John Brown midfield and back line posted its strongest performance of the 2021 season, while senior Megan Hutto and sophomore Aniyah Gibbs tallied goals in the second half, leading the No. 9 JBU women's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over No. 13 Oklahoma Wesleyan on Monday afternoon at Alumni Field.
Hutto scored her second of the season just 2:02 into the second half when she poked the ball past OKWU keeper Nerea Perez Mora in a one-on-one battle, and Gibbs' second of the season capped off another corner kick that found the back of the goal to provide the insurance marker.
Senior Caitlyn Logan boasted three saves, notching her second clean sheet of the season, but also tied the program record of 37 career shutouts, set most recently by Kristen Morency '16. JBU now boasts a shutout streak of 270:00 to begin the 2021 season.
Hutto's goal, her third career game-winner, began with freshman Renny Buchanan pushing the ball through the midfield. Her pass just across the center line was flicked on by sophomore Lauren Walter to Hutto breaking through the Wesleyan back line. Walters' flick bested the Eagle defense and Hutto broke in all alone to slide a shot on the floor past Perez Mora for a 1-0 Golden Eagle lead.
Gibbs provided the insurance marker late in the second half when she headed in a Vanessa Reynoso corner at the back post off an OKWU defender – all but ending Wesleyan's hopes of handing John Brown its first defeat at Alumni Field since Aug. 31, 2019 – when Wesleyan downed JBU in extra time, 2-1.
Since that match, John Brown is undefeated in 21 consecutive matches (18-0-3) in Siloam Springs.
John Brown (3-0-0) edged out the visitors by sending five of the first half's eight shots towards the opposing keeper. The hosts managed a 7-5 margin in the second half to finish with a 12-8 shooting advantage.
With eight in the first half, the Golden Eagles enjoyed a 10-6 advantage in corner kicks.
OKWU's (2-1-0) Laura Maria led all players with three shots. Hutto, Walter and senior Alair Love paced the Golden Eagles with two apiece.
John Brown's impressive schedule continues to roll in top-25 talent as No. 16 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) travels to Siloam Springs to take on the Golden Eagles on Saturday at 7 p.m. The match will air live on the SAC Sports Network.
JBU-Tennessee Southern a 'no contest'
While lightning storms in the area delayed the match at the intermission, a battle of top-ranked programs between No. 5 Tennessee Southern and the No. 9 John Brown University women's soccer team was deemed a no contest after nearly two hours of continuous delays on Saturday, Sept. 4, at Alumni Field.
In a contest of unbeaten programs, the first half proved to be a well-battled stalemate with both teams launching six shots. Senior Vanessa Reynoso nearly put the Golden Eagles (2-0-0) on top in the 22nd minute when her free kick from 30 yards out rattled the crossbar behind UTS keeper Gabby Kennedy.
The Firehawks (3-0-0) also nearly took a 1-0 lead in the 44th minute when Adisa Amang's shot inside the box was deflected away by a sprawling Caitlyn Logan. The former All-American dove to her left to push the 10-yard blast past the post.
As the match drew closer to a scoreless first half, the thunder began growing louder, forcing the teams to return to their respective locker rooms at the intermission. Unfortunately, they would never re-emerge as the dangerous weather hovered nearby, forcing game officials to end the match.
The contest was the second ever between the two programs. Fittingly, the squads played to a 3-3 draw in 2019 at Reuling Stadium, a neutral location in Columbia, Ky.
Reynoso and Southern's Estelle Badoedana Ekada led their teams with two shots apiece. The Golden Eagles held a 3-2 advantage in corner kicks. Logan made a pair of stops, while Kennedy stopped one other after her help from the crossbar.