The Spring Arbor University women's soccer team continued it's hot start to Crossroads League play Saturday when the Cougars blanked Marina University 5-0 on the road in Indianapolis, IN.
Spring Arbor controlled every aspect of the match, out-shooting the Knights 23-1 on the day and holding an 11-0 bulge in corner kicks.
Junior Karly Linton scored the game winning goal just six minutes into the match, taking a pass from roommate Brooklyn Morgan and drilling a right footed bullet into the upper right corner of the net from the top of the penalty area.
Linton then turned provider as sophomore Megan Colby gave the Cougars some insurance in the 32nd minute. Linton found Colby running in a seam in the Knight defense. Colby cut back on her defender and hit a right footed shot to the left corner to make the score 2-0.
A third goal was in the cards for the Cougars less than a minute later when Linton cleaned up a long service into the Marian penalty area and cut back twice before shelfing a short sided shot to the upper corner past the MU net minder.
Sophomore Olivia Clark got in on the action in the final minute of the half, drilling in an unassisted tally to make the score 4-0 at the intermission. Spring Arbor out-shot Marian 14-0 in the first half.
After the break, freshman Nikki Bonnema knocked in her first collegiate goal in the 67th minute to close out the scoring for SAU. Clark cut her defender back at the top of the box before scooping the ball over a pair of Knight defenders into Bonnema's run. The freshman from Grand Rapids, MI ran the ball past the MU goalkeeper and into the net to make the final score 5-0.
Both teams emptied their benches for the majority of the second half.
The Cougars have now shut out six consecutive opponents and have not allowed a goal in over 545 minutes of play. The past six SAU opponents have combined for a total of four total shots.
The Cougars will be back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Fort Wayne, IN to take on the University of St. Francis. The game is scheduled to kick off at 7:00 p.m.
