Yellowjackets 4, Crown 0
Offense has been a struggle for the Yellowjacket women's soccer team this season. To put the struggles in perspective, the Yellowjackets found the net just twice in their first six games of the 2017 campaign.
Tuesday at the NBC Spartan Sports Complex, however, the Yellowjackets left their struggles behind. Powered by a 45-shot offensive attack, the Yellowjackets exploded, reaching an offensive high water mark in a 4-0 shutout of Crown College.
The victory was the most decisive win for the Yellowjackets going back to October 1 of last season when they put five goals on Crown in a game at the Yellowjacket Soccer Complex.
Like the Yellowjacket men in the first game of Tuesday's soccer doubleheader, the Yellowjacket women dominated Crown, sending shot after shot toward the Storm goal from the opening play. After more than 30 minutes of play, however, the game remained scoreless.
The Yellowjackets finally broke through at 35:59 of the first half, getting the eventual game-winning goal from rookie
Chloe Schmaltz (Beaumount, Alta./Escole Secondaire Beaumont Composite). From the left side of the box about 20 yards out, Schmaltz took a feed from
Emma Street (Oak Grove, Minn./St. Francis) and put a shot past Storm goalkeeper Michaela Cowman to give the Yellowjackets the 1-0 lead.
Minutes later the Yellowjackets had a chance to increase the lead, but
Kelli Graham (Middleville, Mich./Thornapple Kellogg)'s penalty kick glanced off the left post.
The game went to 2-0 when
Sarah Fjeran (Duluth, Minn./Marshall School), who had five shots in the match in addition to numerous other opportunities, scored her first goal of the season on a rebound in the final minute of the first half.
Emily Roe (Blaine, Wash./Blaine (Wash.)) earned the assist.
Just over two minutes into the second half the Yellowjackets added another goal. This time it was
Hailey Kontny (Superior, Wis./Superior) scoring her first collegiate goal, getting a loose ball at the right of the Crown goal and pushing a shot past Cowman to make it 3-0 in the 48th minute.
Emma Street (Oak Grove, Minn./St. Francis) assisted on the goal.
The Yellowjackets closed out the scoring in the 55th minute.
Britt Zieroth (Twig, Minn./Proctor), who led the Yellowjackets in goals as a sophomore, ended a long scoring drought by getting a rebound on her own shot in a scramble in front of the Crown goal to make the final score of the match 4-0. For the third time in the match
Emma Street (Oak Grove, Minn./St. Francis) was credited with the assist.
Six different Yellowjackets had at least five shot attempts in the match, led by Zieroth who hit double figures with 10. Shots on goal also favored the Yellowjackets in a big way, as they outshot the Storm 37-2.
Bailey Henderson (Oakdale, Minn./North St. Paul) got the start in goal for the Yellowjackets and got the win, making two saves in 76 minutes of action.
Sky Brown (Lenore, Man./Virden Collegiate Institute) came in and played the final 14 minutes without seeing a shot in her direction.
Up Next: The Yellowjackets continue UMAC play Saturday, September 23 when they host Martin Luther at the NBC Spartan Sports Complex. Game time is set for 7:15 p.m.
