MARIETTA, Ohio – Opening up Ohio Athletic Conference play on the road, the Baldwin Wallace University women's soccer team shut out the Marietta Pioneers 4-0.
BW (8-3, 1-0 OAC) recorded its sixth consecutive shutout of the season and has not allowed a goal since the 21st minute of the team's 2-0 loss to Buffalo St. (N.Y.) on Sept. 10 for a total of 608:48 minutes of scoreless soccer.
After a corner kick in the fifth minute by senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference forward Courtney Schutz (Mentor), senior defender Kori Miller (North Olmsted/Holy Name) dumped the ball into the 6-yard box for junior two-time All-OAC and Academic All-OAC forward Rachel Bender (Massillon/Jackson). Bender then sent the ball into the lower left corner of the net for her 11th goal of the season and Miller's third assist.
The Pioneers had some dangerous opportunities starting in the 19th minute when sophomore forward McKenzie Dorr took three corner kicks and a shot. The Yellow Jackets quickly regained possession and worked the ball down the field where senior All-OAC defender Lauren Haynam (Minerva) took a shot that was saved by the goalie.
Both teams continued to trade shots and corner kicks until BW took a two-goal lead when Marietta allowed an own goal in the 32nd minute.
At halftime, the Yellow Jackets had taken twice as many shots as the Pioneers (10-5) and three times as many shots on goal (6-2). Marietta, however, did hold the advantage in corner kicks (4-2) thanks to Dorr's flurry of corners in the middle of the first half.
In the locker room at halftime, Head Coach Jim Wojtkun appealed to the competitive nature of his team, trying to get the team to play to the standard they have set. The Yellow Jackets then began the second half with more energy and a greater sense of urgency, increasing the pace of play and attacking with more fervor.
Responding to her coach's challenge, Miller added to the Yellow Jacket lead in the 51st minute. With a long touch from freshman midfielder Kenna Stones (Dresden/Tri-Valley) left of the 18-yard box, Bender slid the ball across the goal over to Miller who hammered it home for her second goal of the season. Stones and Bender were each credited with an assist on the goal for their fourth and seventh assists of the season, respectively.
In the 69th minute, Schutz sent a long through ball into Bender at the top of the 18-yard box who sent the ball toward the far right post for her second goal of the afternoon and 12th of the season.
Marietta went on the attack in the 75th minute as it tried to avoid the shutout. Dominating possession for a few minutes, the Pioneers took three shots and corner kicks but could not find the back of the net.
Sophomore Emma Bruno (Pittsburgh, Pa./Bethel Park) tied a season-high of seven saves to record her fifth shutout on the season, continuing to set a new-career high. The sophomore leads the conference in goalkeeping, only allowing two goals on the season and featuring a 0.36 goals against average.
BW will look to continue to keep its opponents off the scoreboard when it hosts the University of Mount Union in an OAC game on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. inside George Finnie Stadium.
