Spring Arbor University senior forward
Kristin Abbott scored book end goals to lead the Lady Cougars past visiting Bethel College in the quarterfinal match of the MCC women's soccer tournament Saturday.
The 5'3 Troy, Michigan native redirected a free kick from fellow senior Rachel Sinkovitz in the opening minute of play to notch her third game winning goal of the 2010 campaign. Abbott then turned provider, finding Jalese DeBiasi with a service in the 34th minute to make the score 2-0. The goal was DeBiasi's third this year.
Freshman Karly Linton kept up her hot play, receiving a short layoff from fellow freshman Brooklyn Morgan and beating BC goalkeeper Rachel Lengacher to the far post for her seventh goal of the season to give the Cougars a 3-0 cushion heading into halftime.
Spring Arbor came out firing to start the second frame, as Sinkovitz found senior Jenna Bigger, who headed the ball to fellow senior Jessica Clarke who nodded the ball past Lengacher to make the score 4-0.
Sophomore back Cheyenne Martinez-Trevino kept things rolling when she combined with Abbott on the left side of the field before lofting a ball over Lengacher from nearly 30 yards out to push the advantage to 5-0 in the 66th minute.
Abbott notched her second goal of the game in the 74th minute to finish the scoring for SAU. Sophomore Braydan Wiles played sophomore Megan Wegener through the Bethel defense on the right side of the field. Wegener cut the ball back and served a ball to Abbott who was making a run at the far post. Abbott's header found the upper left corner of the net to make the final score 6-0.
Senior Christina Riske went the distance in net for Spring Arbor, gathering two saves to pick up the shutout. Spring Arbor outshot Bethel 26-4 (15-2 on goal) and held a 9-0 bulge in corner kicks. Bethel did manage to out-foul SAU 20-10 on the day.
Spring Arbor will now welcome Taylor University to campus on Saturday, November 6th in one of two semi-final matches in the tournament. #6 seeded Taylor upset #3 seed Marian University 3-2 to advance to meet SAU. #1 seed Indiana Wesleyan University beat the University of St. Francis 5-0 to advance to the other semi-final match. IWU will face the winner of #4 Huntington and #5 Grace College.
