KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The University of Northwestern's Women's Soccer team's quick turnaround from their game yesterday proved difficult as they faced the top team in the tournament. UNW stuck with Bethel University early in the first half, but once the Pilots found their rhythm, they did not let up, scoring five times in their shutout of the Eagles.

In the opening 15 minutes, Bethel attacked aggressively and generated two dangerous opportunities, both denied by clutch saves from Hansen. After several threatening looks, the Pilots broke through with two goals just one minute apart, showing why they entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed. UNW tallied three shots on target in the first half, two of them from Haley Mersberger (Kiel, Wis./Elkhart Lake Glenbeulah). The best chance came in the final five minutes when Mersberger flicked a ball toward goal, but it didn't have enough power to make it past the keeper. The Eagles entered halftime trailing 0–2.

Bethel came out firing and scored twice in the first three minutes of the second half, adding their final goal in the 55th minute. UNW didn't record a second-half shot until the 63rd minute, when Marie Kendall (Dakar, Senegal/Dakar Academy) forced a save. Just 30 seconds later, Britta Holter (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) took a free kick just outside the penalty box and nearly bent her shot around the five-player wall, but the keeper punched it away.

UNW finished with eight total shots, five on target. Mersberger recorded three shots with two on goal, Kendall had two shots with one on target, and Holter and Briella Babcock (Byron, Minn./Byron) each added one shot on goal. Hansen closed the match with five saves.

The Eagles will be back on the pitch Thursday morning at 11:00 AM against Warner University.