SUPERIOR, Wis. – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers penned a hit song in the early 1980s that stated, "The waiting is the hardest part." The Yellowjacket women's soccer team hears you loud and clear, Mr. Petty.
 
It's been a long wait for the Yellowjackets, but it finally came to an end on a glorious 70-degree spring day in Superior. After one exhibition contest, the Yellowjackets opened the regular season on its home turf, hosting Martin Luther College in the season opener.
 
And in this instance, it appears that the best things indeed came to those who waited.
 
The Yellowjackets got one goal in the first half and two in the second, putting together a complete team effort on the way to a 3-0 shutout of Martin Luther at the NBC Spartan Sports Complex. With the win, the Yellowjackets (1-0, 1-0 UMAC) opened the season with a victory for the first time since 2006.
 
It was a dominant opening half for the Yellowjackets, as they controlled the play and outshot the Knights 10-3 in the half. Then at 34:25 the Yellowjackets finally broke through as Annah Schussman (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji), the top returning goal scorer and point producer for the Yellowjackets, found the back of the net to make it a 1-0 match.

Things stayed that way into the second half, with the Yellowjackets continuing to control the play. In the 63^rd minute the Yellowjackets increased their lead, and again it was Schussman doing the damage, getting the ball in the left side of the box to push the lead to 2-0.

A few minutes later the Yellowjackets struck again. Alllison Alessi used her speed to break down the left wing and drive the net, before putting a shot past the Martin Luther goalkeeper to increase the lead to 3-0. For Alessi, who had assisted on both of Schussman's tallies, it was her first collegiate goal.
 
That would be all the offense the Yellowjackets needed, and the defense took care of things in the rest of the way. The Yellowjackets effectively shut down Martin Luther, giving up just six shots in the match, with only two ending up on goal. Morgan Philliber (Apple Valley, Minn./Edina) got the start in goal for the Yellowjackets and earned the shutout victory, making two saves.

For the match the Yellowjackets outshot the Knights 6-2. Shot attempts favored the Yellowjackets 19-6.
 
The Yellowjackets return to action on the road Wednesday, April 7 when they travel to North Central. The opening kick in Minneapolis is set for 1:00 p.m.