FULTON, Mo. -- The William Woods University women's soccer team picked up goals from five different players in its 5-1 win over Missouri Baptist University on Saturday.
Stephanie Kirvan (Sunrise Beach, Mo.) added an assist on the Owls' opening goal to lead all scorers with three points as WWU clinched a playoff spot.
WWU pressed the attack from the outset, with
Jordan McNamara (Blue Springs, Mo.) forcing a pair of stops from the Spartan defense in the second minute. The freshman saw a shot turned away be Elizabeth Kahn, and on the ensuing corner kick her shot was blocked by Megan Huffman.
McNamara would have a hand in the opening goal for the Owls, as she took a pass from Kirvan and immediately sprung
Jamie Palermo (Santa Fe, N.M.) on the break. Palermo held off a pestering defender as she dribble the ball into the penalty area before blasting the ball home. The 21st minute strike was her ninth on the year.
The Owls would add another goal in the 27th minute, as Kirvan's shot rattled the crossbar and was half-cleared, but only as far as
Danielle Wilson (Freeburg, Ill.), who put the ball in the net.
WWU found its third goal in the 33rd minute, as
Brittany Graue (St. Louis, Mo.) took a touch through traffic and found
Brittainy German (St. Peters, Mo.) at the back post.
Missouri Baptist was able to pull a goal back in the 72nd minute, as Megan Huffman hit a shot off the right post that spun across the line and into the net.
Kirvan would again rattle the woodwork in the 76th minute, but this time the senior used the crossbar to her advantage as she blasted a free kick from 35 yards out. The shot hit off the crossbar, bounced down into the goal and bulged the roof of the net on the rebound.
Annie Graber (Aspen, Colo.) would add a fifth goal for the Owls in the 87th minute, as
Haley Pipes (Edmond, Okla.) found her with a driven through ball. Graber threaded a shot through the defense and into the net.
WWU moves to 4-2 in AMC play with the win (8-6-1 overall) and sits in third. The Owls can finish no lower than sixth on the year and will return to the AMC postseason tournament for the fourth straight year under head coach
Randy Hall.
