ROME, Ga. – Behind a season-high seven goals, 33 shots and 17 on target, the Valdosta State women's soccer team posted a 7-0 victory at Shorter Sunday afternoon as six different Blazers scored goals in the match. Junior
Molly Muenchen had two goals to lead the team.
The Blazers improved to 7-4-3 overall and 5-4-1 in Gulf South Conference play with the victory, while seventh year head coach
Stephen Andrew won his 197
th match in his career (197-99-19) in 17
th season and his program-best 57
th at VSU (57-44-10). VSU improved to 11-1-1 all-time against Shorter and Andrew now is 7-0 all-time against the Hawks.
In the first ten minutes of the contest, the Blazers had quality looks but were unable to come away with a goal. The Hawks also had a good look, but sophomore goalkeeper
Claire Timberlake came up with the save. Then the goals came in a barrage as junior
Molly Wooldridge broke through at the 16:24 mark on an assist from junior
Ansley Decenzo. That began a stretch of four goals over the next ten minutes.
Junior
Asti Luff scored the second goal on a penalty kick for her first career goal at the 19:40 mark following a foul in the box by Shorter. Just 1:24 later, Muenchen scored her first career goal with Luff on the assist for a 3-0 lead. Sophomore
Hunter Wallace found pay dirt with her third goal of the season at the 26:41 mark and a 4-0 cushion.
Blazer junior
Jocelyn Oballe scored her second goal of the season at the 39:14 mark for the most goals in a half this season for the Blazers, while the five goals also tied the season-high for goals in a game as VSU scored five goals in a 5-1 win at Georgia College (Sept. 9). Timberlake made her third save of the game in as many chances.
VSU out shot the Hawks 18-3 for the half and had an 11-3 lead in shots on goal, while the Blazers recorded five corner kicks. SU goalkeeper Karis Eccleston had six saves and allowed five goals for the opening stanza. Wooldridge paced the Blazers with three shots and one on target as one of five different players with a goal.
The momentum continued for the Blazers in the second half as freshman
Kayleigh Kearns scored her first goal in her first collegiate game for the sixth of the match at the 74:40 mark with an assist from sophomore
Katherine Kimmel for Kimmel's third assist of the season. VSU then converted its second penalty kick of the game as Muenchen scored on the PK at the 77:25 mark. Muenchen finished with four shots, two on target and two goals.
VSU out shot the Hawks 15-1 in the second half and 6-1 in shots on goal for the half. Junior
Emma Pruett and freshman
Tori Vliet combined in the second half as Purett had one save in 29:40 minutes and Vliet saw 15:20 minutes of action for her first time between the pipes since Sept. 22.
The Blazers return home for Senior Weekend as they will host Spring Hill College on Friday at 7 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. Senior Day matchup with GSC league-leader West Florida to close the 2023 home regular season slate. VSU then will conclude the regular season on Friday, Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. at West Georgia.
