Posted: Sep 23, 2017
BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University women's soccer team had a strong offensive showing in a 6-0 shutout of Defiance College, marking the team's fourth consecutive shutout.
Junior two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference forward Rachel Bender (Massillon/Jackson) scored her first goal of the game in the 13th minute off an assist from freshman midfielder Kenna Stones (Dresden/Tri-Valley). Stones put a nice through ball to the reigning OAC Women's Soccer Player of the Week, who split the two center backs and finished it on her second touch for her eighth goal of the season and Stones's third assist.
In the 20th minute, senior two-time All-OAC midfielder Alex Elliott (Blacklick/IMG Academy) added to the BW lead with her sixth goal of the season off senior All-OAC forward Courtney Schutz's (Mentor) fifth assist of the year.
The BW offense wore down the Defiance defense early with the team's speed, playing in and around their back line, getting off 10 of its 15 first half shots in the first 20 minutes.
Sophomore midfielder Kenna Poptic (Dublin/Jerome) gave BW a 3-0 lead before halftime with a quick little touch and played the ball over the keeper for her second goal of the season in the 36th minute with an assist from senior defender Lauren Haynam (Minerva), giving the senior her second assist of the season.
Defiance finally found its way through the BW midfield and into the offensive third in the final minutes of the first half but failed to get off any shots until the 45:34 mark in the second half, which ended up being its only shot of the game.
Elliott started out the second half with a bang, playing the ball into the back corner of the net to score her second goal of the game in the 47th minute off a cross from senior defender Kori Miller (North Olmsted/Holy Name) and put it in on her first touch.
Four minutes later and realizing she had some space, Bender calmly beat the keeper and played the ball through, slotting it back for her second goal of the game to give BW a five-goal lead.
From that point on, Head Coach Jim Wojtkun made wholesale substitutions, getting his younger players some valuable on-the-field experience and keeping the team's legs as fresh as possible in preparation for conference play which begins next week.
Senior forward Jacquelyn Brown (Tallmadge) put a cross in to freshman midfielder Kayla Webb (Brunswick) who finished it on a single touch in the 83rd minute for her second goal of the year, giving Brown her first collegiate assist.
BW will have a quick turn around as it hosts Grove City (Pa.) College for a non-conference game on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. inside George Finnie Stadium.
