ANGOLA, Ind. – Sophomore Teresa Ashbrook scored a pair of goals, leading the Trine University women's soccer team to a lopsided victory while becoming the program's NCAA Division III leading scorer. After honoring their seniors before the contest, the Thunder would pick up a 5-1 win over visiting Asbury University.
"It was a nice way to honor our seniors and how much they've put in to get this program where we are now," said head coach Gary Boughton.
It took just under nine minutes for the team to take the lead in the game. After a steal near midfield, freshman Abby Robison sprinted up the right side of the field into the penalty area. She fired a quick pass back to the center of the field, where Ashbrook was trailing just behind. Her quick shot left no chance for a play by the keeper and gave the team a 1-0 lead. It was the 22nd goal of her young career tying the program's NCAA Division III career record.
In the 25th minute of the half, senior Andrea Wright set up the second goal perfectly. After another steal near midfield, she passed the ball up the right side taking all of the defense out of the play. Robison had only to receive the pass and beat the keeper to build the lead to two.
The score would become 3-0 in the 31st minute. After going out of bounds off of an Eagles player, freshman Lindsey Meyer threw the ball all the way into the far corner where sophomore Bella Mabry was waiting to drive toward the net. She crossed the ball from close to the opposite side where Robison fired a blistering shot directly into the keeper. The rebound went right back to Robison, who chose to pass rather than shoot again. It was a great choice, with freshman Andi Lipic burying the shot.
A herculean individual effort by Asbury's Hannah Muncie ending with an unplayable shot into the bottom left corner of the net gave the opposition their lone goal of the game in the 37th minute of play. It cut the lead to 3-1 heading into intermission.
Ashbrook's record-breaking goal came off of another rebound, in the 62nd minute of the match. This time Mabry carried the ball into the penalty area and put a shot on goal. The opposition's keeper made a spectacular diving save, but the rebound fell right in front of Ashbrook, who snuck it just past the goal post for the goal.
Just a few minutes later junior Megan Davis finished off the scoring for the game, when she took the ball right off the foot of the keeper and put it into an empty net.
"It was a really fantastic game. I couldn't think of a better game to honor all of us seniors," said Wright, "I'm proud of this team and can't wait for what's to come as we get back to conference play."
The team improves to 7-3-2 overall, following the victory. They will return to MIAA play in their next contest which comes against Kalamazoo College on Wednesday, October 12. The home contest is set to be played on Weaver Field with kickoff scheduled for 4 p.m.