MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The University of Northwestern and North Central University Women's Soccer Teams played under threatening skies in Minneapolis on Saturday, but the biggest threat at Elliot Park Field was UNW's offensive attacks. Hat tricks by sophomore
Haley Mersberger (Kiel, Wisc./Elkhart Lake Glenbeulah) and senior
Megan Moeller (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Christian School) headlined an impressive 8-0 shutout win for the Eagles.
Mersberger kicked off the goal parade, knocking in a beautiful, high-arcing pass from
Elle Bush (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) that got behind the defense in the 12
th minute. Wasting no time, Moeller received a Hail Mary of a throw in from
McKenna Gordy (Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) in the 16
th minute and found the back of the net for her second goal of the season. After Mersberger just narrowly missed a coast-to-coast goal opportunity in the 29
th minute, she made up for it by scoring her second goal of the day in the 42
nd.
After a shortened halftime due to potential severe weather in the area, Moeller picked up where she left off, delivering a missile from the edge of the 18-yard box in the 49
th minute to extend UNW's lead to 4-0. With rain pouring down at Elliot Park Field,
Megan Kohrt (Monona, Wis./Homeschool) decided to join the party in the 56
th minute, knocking home a rebound after a Mersberger shot went bar-down and came back into play.
Just two minutes later, Moeller and Mersberger teamed up for what may have been the highlight of the day, although there were many to choose from. Moeller went one-on-one with a defender on the left side of the box, nutmegged her, and passed it off to Mersberger who deflected it into the net to finish off her second hat trick of the young season. Her goal total for the season is up to eight through seven games. Not to be outdone by her teammate, Moeller drew even with a hat trick of her own, sending a teardrop shot just over the outstretched arms of the NCU keeper in the 71
st minute. The hat trick was the first of her accomplished career in purple.
The final goal of the game was nearly Moeller's to claim as well, as a shot attempt of hers resulted in an own-goal by the North Central goalkeeper, bringing the score to 8-0. Northwestern had two goalkeepers contribute to their clean sheet.
Samantha Hansen (Cottage Grove, Minn./New Life Academy) got the start and made two saves, while
Delaynee Bohatta (Hammond, WI/St. Croix Central) came off the bench to make three of her own.
The final offensive numbers for Northwestern are straight out of a video game, led by Mersberger's 21 shots and seven shots on goal. Moeller and Kohrt each tallied 11 shots and seven shots on goal.
Briella Babcock (Byron, Minn./Byron) contributed seven shots, four of which were on goal, and
Meghan Corbett (Sartell, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral) added seven shots, three on goal.
Destiny Payan (Richfield, Minn./Richfield) added a shot on goal of her own. As a team, UNW attempted an unheard of 58 shots and 29 shots on goal.
The Eagles will return home to Reynolds Field on Wednesday, September 27
th for a conference showdown with Martin Luther College. You can catch all the action on the Eagle Sports Network at 7:00 PM.
