The women’s soccer team secured their first ODAC win on Saturday, triumphing over the Sweet Briar Vixens 6-0 in a rather one-sided contest. The Royals dominated possession for the entire match, peppering the opposing goalkeeper with 32 shots over the course of the match. First-year Olivia Dalke scored her first goal just two minutes into the game and later tallied two more goals to earn herself a hat trick. First-year Rachel Sauder, sophomore Laura Rittenhouse, and senior Marcy Smucker all added goals of their own to run up the scoreboard and demonstrate the Royals’ offensive prowess.
The Royals controlled the game from start to finish, mostly playing in Sweet Briar’s half of the field. Their offense was on clear display, firing 21 shots on goal, keeping the Vixens’ defense and keeper busy. In contrast, EMU sophomore keepers Leah Wenger and Emily Young had a light day at the office, as they spent the afternoon without a shot in their direction.
Overall, it was an emphatic victory for the Royals, and it shifted their record to 3-5-2 on the season. Additionally, they moved up in the ODAC standings, now tied for fifth place with Shenandoah, Virginia Wesleyan, and Emory & Henry.
“We’ve been on the road for a while, so it felt good to come back home and get our first ODAC win,” said junior Logan Braun after the game. Braun was one of the 27 players to take the field for the Royals during the matchup. Braun and other veteran members of the team, however, got to enjoy a dazzling performance from the newest members of their squad, as EMU’s first-year combined for four goals and three assists on the day.
Three of those goals are the work of forward Dalke, who was the key cog in the offense on a dynamic afternoon for the Royals. Dalke punched in a short pass from the left side of the box from Sauder. Then, just two minutes later, Sauder got a goal of her own, after first-year Leigh Lumsden crossed the ball into the box. Sauder took a touch and knocked the ball in with her left foot, giving the Royals a 2-0 lead just a few minutes into the match.
In the second half of the game, Dalke added two more goals to her tally for the day, with assists from first-year Liz Huffman and senior Bailey McInnis. Both Rittenhouse and Smucker once again found the back of Sweet Briar’s net in the second half.
“I’m proud of our performance and how well we worked together,” Rittenhouse said. “Our team was excited to get that first ODAC win on our record, and we hope to continue the result in our upcoming games as well.”
The Royals’ next home game is Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. versus Emory and Henry College.
