WOMEN’S SOCCER

Huntington University women’s soccer made a resounding statement Saturday night at King Stadium, overcoming an early deficit to dismantle Governors State University (0-2) in a 5-1 victory. With the win, head coach Keaton Albert and crew improve to 2-0 on the season as the Foresters continue their impressive early-season form.

The only moment the result seemed in doubt came at the 11-minute mark when the Jaguars’ Zoraya Marquez found the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. The advantage lasted less than two minutes. Senior Jianna Simons was in the right place at the right time, blasting home a deflected shot from Elana McGinnis to level the score at 1-1 and swing the momentum firmly in Huntington’s favor.

From there, the Foresters shifted into a relentless attack mode. In the 25th minute, senior Sophie Shepherd capitalized on a defensive miscue, racing onto a back-pass and beating the GSU keeper to the ball for a finish into a wide-open net. Shepherd finished the night with a game-high seven shots and four on goal.

The first-half barrage continued in the 37th minute when freshman Sharon Vidah tucked away a pass from Anastasiia Edemskaia left-footed for her first collegiate goal, giving HU a 3-1 cushion heading into the break.

The second half belonged to freshman Payton Toth, who netted a brace to put the match out of reach. Her first came in the 73rd minute after chasing down a long clearance from defender Jadá-Mia Lee and clinical finishing from just outside the box. Toth capped the night in the 85th minute with a tap-in after being perfectly positioned to rebound a deflected shot from Vidah.

Huntington’s defense was nearly impenetrable after the early goal, limiting the Jaguars to just three total shots in front of a spirited home crowd. Freshman goalkeeper Breann Cory earned her first win of the season, recording two saves on the night.

The Foresters dominated every facet of the game, outshooting the Jaguars 27-3 and holding a commanding 8-0 edge in corner kicks. The victory improves HU to 2-0 all-time against Governors State, following a 4-0 win in their only other meeting in 2019.

Up Next
The Foresters hit the road to face Indiana East on September 5 at 4:00 p.m.