WOMEN’S SOCCER

The HU women’s soccer team picked up its first win of the season in dominating fashion by shutting out Freed-Hardeman 4-0 Thursday night under the lights at King Stadium.

The Foresters were on the attack most of the contest having unleashed for 17 shots, six on frame, while limiting the Lions to just four. Another indicator of their dominance was not giving up a corner kick while collecting four of their own.

Maria Cote Molina has splashed onto the scene this season and proved the key cog to HU’s offense in the first half. A hand ball in the box set up her PK just 16 minutes in. Twenty minutes later she threaded a pass to Jianna Simons who lasered a shot far post from the top of the box for a comfortable 2-0 Huntington advantage heading into the break.

Ninety seconds into the second period, Ella Thread found an open Sophie Shepherd who, well outside the box, sent a bomb that sailed over the outstretched hands of the Lion keeper to extend HU’s lead to 3-0. It was Shepherd’s first goal of the season, the seventh of her career.

The cherry on top was Vivian Blye’s hustle play that paid dividends by way of her first collegiate goal with just under three minutes remaining. After beating the Lion keeper and a defender to a ball in the box, the freshman forward tucked a shot into the back of the net to wrap up the scoring for Lewis and crew.

Blye’s goal was just one of several firsts for the Foresters. It was also Cote’s first time to find back netting. Defensively it was Huntington’s first clean sheet of the year. And finally, tonight’s matchup was the first meeting in program history between these two squads.

Ireland Aerni earned the shutout in goal. The senior keeper finished with three saves.

HU (1-1) returns to King Stadium on Wednesday to host IU South Bend at 7:00 p.m.