BRYN MAWR, Pa. – Four first-half goals lifted the Ursinus women's soccer team to a 4-0 shutout victory over Bryn Mawr College on Wednesday evening at Applebee Field.
With the win, Ursinus improved to 8-5-2 overall and 3-4-1 in Centennial Conference play. The Owls fell to 5-10 overall and 0-7 in the conference. Sophomore
Taylor Pezulich led the Bears' offense with two goals, while classmate
Emma Woch and first-year
Abby Godown each added scores for Ursinus. Godown's goal marked the first of her career, while Pezulich increased her season total to five, which currently leads the team.
Ursinus struck first in the second minute when Woch forced an Owls turnover at midfield, dribbled into the box and sent a shot over the keeper for her third goal of the season. Bryn Mawr responded with back-to-back shots in the fifth minute, but the Bears' defense and sophomore goalkeeper
Mallory Toomey denied both chances to preserve the lead. Toomey and the Ursinus backline turned away another pair of shots in the 11th minute before extending their lead to 2-0 at the 12:35 mark. On the counterattack, Pezulich collected a deflection from an Owls defender and delivered a perfectly placed through ball to Godown, who fired a shot past the goalkeeper for her first career goal.
In the 20th minute, Pezulich scored her first goal of the match, marking her fifth of the season, extending the Bears lead to three. After receiving a long through ball, she created space between two defenders and delivered a left-footed shot to the near post. Pezulich struck again just seven minutes later to increase the Bears advantage to four. Following a corner kick that was cleared, Pezulich intercepted a pass outside the box and curled a long shot inside the left post for her second multi-goal game of the season. Ursinus carried the momentum throughout the rest of the contest, holding the Owls to just two shots on goal en route to the 4-0 shutout.
The Bears held an 18-9 advantage in total shots, a 6-4 edge in shots on goal and a 6-1 lead in corner kicks. Toomey and junior
Alyssa Marraffino combined for the shutout in goal, each recording two saves. Bryn Mawr's Lily Blackman took the loss, also making two saves over 90 minutes.
Ursinus returns to action Saturday, October 18th, with a Centennial Conference matchup at Gettysburg College. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
