MOUNT VERNON, Ohio – The cold weather and wet conditions were not enough to slow down the No. 10 ranked Spring Arbor University women's soccer team which posted its fifth consecutive win following a 1-0 victory at No. 20 Mount Vernon Nazarene University on Saturday.
"Mount Vernon Nazarene is a good team and they are well coached," said head coach Jason Crist. "We struggled at times because of the conditions of the field, and the weather, but, overall, it was a strong win against a strong team in a tough environment. I am very proud of the grit and determination our players showed. They maintained composure and found a way to win the match."
It is the third win over a Top 25 ranked opponent this season for the Cougars, who improved to 9-2-1 overall and 3-0 in the Crossroads League. Meanwhile, MVNU suffered its second loss in its last three matches to fall to 8-4 and 1-2 in league play.
Spring Arbor started off strong, dominating possession and pushing the attack getting off several shots in the first few minutes. The Cougars' pressure paid off in the 26th minute when junior Corrie Good found the back of the net for the fourth time this season. After taking a pass from freshman Bethany Balcer, Good dribbled by several defenders before beating the MVNU goalkeeper, putting SAU on top.
The goal would prove to be enough as the Cougar defense, anchored by senior netminder Sarah Yancer, blanked one of the top scoring teams in Crossroads League.
Yancer finished with three saves and Balcer registered 10 of SAU's 23 shots. Mount Vernon Nazarene was able to muster just eight shots on the afternoon. The Cougars also recorded 11 corner kicks compared to zero by the home team.
Up next, Spring Arbor will host unbeaten No. 8 Grace College (10-0-1, 2-0-1 CL) on Wednesday, Oct. 7 in a rematch of last season's conference championship matchup. The contest is scheduled to kickoff at 7 p.m.
Women's Soccer Contact: Chris Bauman | 517-750-6504 | christopher.bauman@arbor.edu
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