Mediapolis, Ia., March 7, 2021 – The Westminster College Blue Jays women's soccer team came into Wednesday mornings road conference matchup with the Iowa Wesleyan University Tigers looking to rebound from a tough loss their last time out. The Blue Jays would score an early goal on a rainy cool day and then make that goal stand up the rest of the way for a big 1-0 road conference shutout. The win improved the Blue Jays record to 5-2 overall and 4-2 in SLIAC play.
The Blue Jays came out of the opening kick-off putting pressure on the Tigers. Madi Lenk took a shot that got blocked just :21 seconds into the match and resulted in the first corner kick of the game for the Jays. Natalie Schulte had another opportunity just :56 into the match but her shot just went barely wide right. The lone goal of the match would come in the 9th minute when Lenk would not be denied scoring an unassisted goal. The goal was her third on the season.
The Blue Jays would keep the pressure on the IWU keeper as Schulte would have another opportunity in the 20th minute but her shot far post was saved by the IWU keeper. In the 24th minute Rachel Nolte would rip a shot to the bottom left side of the goal only to have the Tiger keeper make the save. Schulte was at it again in the 25th minute as her shot went to the keeper for a save.
The Blue Jays outshot the Tigers 15-4 and put 8 of those shots on goal compared to just one for the Tigers. The Jays also took 7 corner kicks to none for IWU. Shots by Rachel Nolte in the 66th minute and Abbey Montana in the 67th minute were both saved by the IWU keeper. Despite the constant pressure and attacks the Blue Jays could not get the ball in the net again and would rely on its defense to take it home to the shutout win.
Megan Davidson would make her lone save in the 53rd minute on IWU shot that was low and center of the goal and dug out by Davidson. IWU would not threaten again as the back line of Karina Esquivel, Alaina Allsbury, Liz Hammond, Maddy Lawton and Montana would hold strong. The shutout was Davidsons fourth of the season.
The Blue Jays will be back on the home pitch on Saturday. Their Match against the Eureka College Red Devils will kick off at 1:00 p.m.
