SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – Junior Shannon Balcer scored a pair of goals to lead the Spring Arbor University women's soccer team to a 3-0 shutout victory over Huntington University in its Crossroads League opener on Saturday night.
The win improved the 12th ranked Cougars to 7-1-1 overall and 1-0 in the conference while the Foresters dropped to 2-8 with an 0-1 mark in league play.
The Cougars nearly struck just over four minutes into the contest when Corrie Good beat the HU keeper, who came out to challenge the play, but another defender made a sliding stop along the goal line to keep the ball out of the net.
Spring Arbor continued to apply the pressure early, but had trouble finishing off shots with the Foresters packing in their defense. However, SAU was able to breakthrough in the 19th minute when Good chipped a cross in front of the goal that found the feet of Balcer, and she blasted it into the upper left corner to put the Cougars on top.
After taking a 1-0 lead into halftime, the Cougars wasted little time adding to their advantage in the second half. Less than three minutes into the period Becca Lynn served a corner kick into the box where Sam Sturgeon headed it home for her second goal of the season.
Balcer would net her second goal of the night to cap off the scoring in the 84th minute. After shaking her defender with some nifty footwork in the corner, Balcer lifted a shot that sailed over the arms of the keeper and into the goal.
The Cougars dominated the match from the opening whistle, outshooting the Foresters 28-1 while holding a 5-0 edge in corner kicks.
Up next, Spring Arbor will travel to Goshen College on Tuesday, Sept. 30. The match is slated for a 7 p.m. start.
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