BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University women's soccer team celebrated its home opener with a non-conference victory against Hiram College by a final score of 3-1 on the Tressel Field inside The George Finnie Stadium.
BW (6-2) won its third consecutive matchup against Hiram (1-6), while also extending its current win streak to three games.
The Yellow Jackets played a strong first half, applying pressure offensively for the majority of the period. BW outshot Hiram 6-1 with two of its shots finding the back of the net less than three minutes apart. First, senior midfielder Kenna Poptic (Dublin/Jerome) got her team-leading seventh assist of the season on a beautifully placed cross, that was headed in the net by streaking senior defender Morgan Gray (Dublin/Scioto). Gray's second goal of the season, coming in the 33rd minute, put the Yellow Jackets up 1-0. Next, on a similar looking set-play off a corner kick, sophomore midfielder Bella Reigle (Niles/MicKinley) sent a cross in the box that was initially headered by junior midfielder Kenna Stones (Dresden/Tri-Valley) but blocked by a defender. Stones then proceeded to recover her own rebound and kick in her team-leading fourth goal of the year.
Freshman midfielder Brandi Filippi (Pickerington/North), who collected her first collegiate goal and assist in Saturday's win over NAIA Carlow (Pa.) University, got her name on the scoresheet again tonight. She scored on a rebound goal in the 70th minute off a hard shot from Stones. The Terriers eventually played shutout spoilers in the 77th minute of the contest when a play that last touched Hiram sophomore Kaitlyn Harris, redirected off a BW defender and found its way in the back of the net. However, that was all the Terriers could muster offensively as the score remained 3-1 until the final buzzer.
Senior goalkeeper Emma Bruno (Pittsburgh, Pa./Bethel Park) earned the win, making one save and allowing one goal. The reigning Ohio Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week improved her record to a perfect 6-0 on the year, but saw her scoreless streak snap at a remarkable 543:06 worth of playing time.
The Yellow Jackets return to the pitch on Saturday, September 21 when they take on Waynesburg (Pa.) University in a non-conference matchup at 8:00 p.m. in John F. Wiley Stadium.
