The Spring Arbor University women's soccer team snapped a streak of three one goal losses by dominating Marian University 3-0 on the road in Indianapolis, Indiana on Saturday.
The Cougars played their third fourth straight opponent who is either ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 polls, and left no doubt about the outcome of the match.
Fresh off a narrow, disappointing 2-1 loss to NAIA #10 Indiana Wesleyan where the Cougars scored first, but could not hang on for the win, Spring Arbor netted two goals in the opening half of play and sealed the game early in the closing stanza with a third to grab the win and even their conference record at 1-1.
SAU was in the driver's seat from the beginning of the match, but it wasn't until the 32nd minute when senior Jessica Clarke slammed home the rebound of a Maegan Smith shot to give the Cougars the game winner.
Freshman Karly Linton nearly followed up just two minutes later when she beat a pair of markers and smashed a shot off the crossbar, won the rebound and forced Marian goalkeeper Jessica Fisher into a sprawling save at the far post leaving the game at 1-0.
Linton was not be denied however, as she gathered a pass from sophomore Braydan Wiles and split a pair of defenders before finishing low and to the far post past a helpless Fisher to make the SAU lead 2-0.
Spring Arbor continued to press the Knight's goal but was unable to connect again before the intermission. The Cougars held a 12-3 advantage in shots over the first forty five minutes of play.
The second half proved to be more of the same for SAU, as junior defender Alyssa Curtis put some icing on the cake with a header at the back post off a Kristin Abbott corner kick in the 60th minute of play.
Spring Arbor went on to out-shoot Marian 10-1 in the second half of play, leading to a 22-4 bulge for the contest. The Lady Cougars also enjoyed a 9-0 margin in corner kicks on the afternoon.
"Marian is a very good program," commented SAU head coach Jason Crist. "They are making a name for themselves in the Midwest, and even on the national scene. We played very well, and I am excited about the level our ladies competed at. As we continue to move forward with our conference schedule we will need to improve our play every outing if we hope to make a run at the national tournament at the end of the season."
Spring Arbor improves to 8-4 on the season with the win and will welcome Bethel College to campus on Saturday for homecoming. The game is scheduled to kick off at 1:00 p.m.
