Fulton, MO 9/9/2022- The Westminster College women's soccer team hosted the University of the Ozarks Eagles in the home opener. They looked to get their first win of the season and score the first goal of the season after back-to-back shutout losses to start the year.
The Blue Jays wasted little time getting in the score column in the first thirty-three seconds of the game. Jenna Frisella (St. Louis, MO / Oakville High School) sent a great thru ball to just outside the right penalty area and freshman Hannah Shylanski (O'Fallon, MO / Fort Zumwalt North) ran the ball down and outran her defender. She was one on one with the goalie and put the shot off the left post and into the net to give Westminster a very early 1-0 lead.
Shylanski would find the back of the net again after the Jays forced an Eagles turnover near midfield. Shylanski and Lauren Halamicek would go on a two-on-one fast break. After a few passes back and forth, the ball would find Shylanski foot, and she rifled one past the Eagles goalie. Scoring her second goal of the game and giving the Blue Jays a commanding 2-0 lead with fifteen minutes left to play in the first half.
Westminster would force a free kick with ten minutes left in the half. Savannah Feltrop ( Jefferson City, MO / Helias) would take the free kick and place the ball near the front of the net. Abbey Montana (Barnhart, MO / Seckman) was able to get to it and score a header for the third goal of the game. The Blue Jays would go into the half with a 3-0 lead.
After halftime, the Jays seemed to be coasting to a clean sheet 3-0 victory but that would change near the midway point of the half. The Eagles would make a chip shot over the Westminster goalie for their first goal of the game. The Blue Jays would keep the pressure on with a 3-1 lead. With eight minutes left in the half, Westminster would organize an attack that saw Kelsey Gordon (St. Louis, MO / Lindbergh) beat her defender with a great dibble move and go one on one with Ozark's keeper. Gordon would send a shot off the right post, and it would bounce out. But on the rebound, the ball glanced off an Eagles defended and would go in for an own goal. This would give Westminster a 4-1 lead with time winding down. The Eagles would score again with two minutes left in the game to make things interesting. Ultimately, Westminster held them off and win the game, 4-2. The Blue Jays get in the win column and improve to 1-2 on the young season. The Eagles fall to 0-3.
Shylanski would lead the Blue Jays' offense with two goals scored. She took five shots total and put three of them on goal. She was very close to scoring the hat trick, but it was not to be. Junior goalkeeper Megan Davidson (St. Louis, MO / Affton High School) would save all three shots on goal that she faced.
The Blue Jays will be back in action on Tuesday, September 13th when they start SLIAC conference play against the Principia Panthers. The game is set to kick off at 5:00 PM in Fulton, MO
