ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Northwestern Women's soccer team faced Martin Luther in a mid-week conference match. The Eagles shut out the Knights, 7-0 on senior night at Reynolds Field.
Before the game,
Haley Mersberger (Kiel, Wis./Elkhart Lake Glenbeulah) was presented with a commemorative ball after becoming Northwestern's all-time leading goal scorer. Mersberger went on to add to her record during tonight's game.
Megan Kohrt (Monona, Wis./Homeschool) began the scoring for the Eagles by finding the goal in the eighth minute. Kohrt received a pass from
Megan Moeller (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Christian School) and dribbled around multiple defenders. She squared up to the goal and powered a shot past the keeper, a fitting start for the senior captain on senior night.
Mersberger followed Kohrt's lead by scoring a goal of her own from downtown. Mersberger controlled the ball off a throw in, turned, and launched the shot from 30 yards out. Just 90 seconds later, the Eagles were awarded a corner.
Megan Moeller (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Christian School) took the corner and delivered a perfect pass to Mersberger's head as she fired in her second goal of the night. Mersberger finished the half with a hat trick, scoring her third goal of the game in the 43
rd minute. Her goal came off a counter attack. The Eagles surged up the field, and Moeller sent a leading pass ahead of Mersberger. She was able to chase it down and beat her defender on the way to another goal. Northwestern went into the half with the 4-0 lead.
During halftime, the team celebrated their five seniors. Following the break and the heartfelt recognition, two seniors found the back of the net as they played their final minutes on Reynolds Field. Kohrt scored her second goal ten minutes into the half after the ball deflected off a Martin Luther defender in the box. Kohrt didn't need an extra touch as she shot the ball out of the air. It was a laser of a shot that no one could stop.
Amidst the many "lasts" on the field, Kohrt assisted on a "first" for
Sophia Brenteson (Zimmerman, Minn./Spectrum). Kohrt pushed the ball up the pitch and passed back to Brenteson, who was almost 40 yards away from the goal. Brenteson took the shot and placed it perfectly in the top shelf, just out of the keeper's reach. This goal marked the first goal and shot of Brenteson's college career.
To top off the celebration, Moeller connected on a goal of her own after she had already delivered two assists on the night. Moeller took the ball through the box and somehow found an angle to bury the shot just under the crossbar. It was a picture-perfect goal in her final home game.
Northwestern rolled to a 7-0 victory and out-shot the Knights 45-2. Mersberger led the Eagles with three goals on 10 shots with six shots on goal. Kohrt added two goals and an assist on 17 shots and nine shots on target. Moeller tallied one goal with two assists while taking 11 total shots. Brenteson notched one goal with one shot and one shot on target.
Naomi Meehan (Waconia, Minn./Homeschool) took three shots for Northwestern as well.
The Eagles have a quick turn around as they face North Central on Friday afternoon at 1:30 PM at Elliot Park Field. Friday will be the Eagles' final regular season match before the UMAC Tournament.
