MANKATO, Minn. - The University of Northwestern Women's Soccer team took the field against Bethany Lutheran on Saturday afternoon, and everything seemed to go right for the Eagles. Northwestern's high-powered attack tallied five goals in the first half and four more in the second to cruise to a 9-0 victory.
It took just six and a half minutes for UNW to get on the board. The Meehan sisters combined on the right side of the field, drawing defensive attention before Naomi sent the ball across the box to Marie Kendall (Dakar, Senegal/Dakar Academy). Kendall finished with a one-touch shot that slipped beneath the goalkeeper for the early lead. In the 20th minute, Naomi Meehan (Waconia, Minn./Homeschool) added a goal of her own. After leading Ada into scoring position, Naomi watched her sister's shot get blocked back into the box. Naomi was there to collect the rebound and send it into the back of the net.
Kendall quickly secured her second goal of the afternoon just four minutes later after receiving a pass from Ada Meehan (Waconia, Minn./Homeschool) near the top of the box. Kendall dribbled past a defender and chipped the goalkeeper to extend the lead to 3-0. Three minutes later, Ada became the third Eagle to find the back of the net. Isabelle Stevens (Junction City, Wis./Stevens Point) threw the ball back into play, finding Naomi, who worked past two defenders before dropping the ball to her sister. Ada beat another defender and fired a right-footed shot into the net to make it 4-0. Ada added her second goal of the day with 10 minutes remaining in the first half. Receiving a pass from Naomi, she sent another shot toward the far corner to give Northwestern a commanding 5-0 lead at halftime.
The Eagles wasted little time adding to their advantage after the break. Just 30 seconds into the second half, Naomi Meehan (Waconia, Minn./Homeschool) scored her second goal of the game. Tayla Thomas (Wylie, Texas/Homeschool) played the ball ahead to a sprinting Kendall, who dribbled down the sideline before crossing it to Naomi for the finish. Kendall then went on a tear, scoring twice in a four-minute span to complete her hat trick and extend her total to four goals on the afternoon. Thomas connected with Kendall down the sideline for her third goal, as Kendall cut back to her right foot and fired the ball into the net. For her fourth goal, Kendall showcased her footwork, taking the ball near midfield and dribbling one-on-one toward goal before finishing with her left foot. Maddy Montoya (Plainview, Minn./Homeschool) capped off the scoring with the first goal of her collegiate career. After Naomi Meehan (Waconia, Minn./Homeschool) delivered a corner kick, Montoya needed just one touch to bury her shot in the back of the net for the 9-0 final.
Kendall led the offensive explosion with four goals and an assist on 11 shots, including seven on target. Both Naomi and Ada Meehan (Waconia, Minn./Homeschool) recorded two goals, with Naomi adding three assists and six shots on goal. Ada contributed an assist and put all five of her shots on target. Montoya scored on her lone shot attempt, while Sam Hansen (Cottage Grove, Minn./New Life Academy) secured the shutout with five saves across 90 minutes in goal.
The Eagles will enjoy a week off before returning to conference play for their final three games of the regular season. Northwestern will host Martin Luther on Saturday, October 24, for Senior Day at Reynolds Field, with kickoff set for 7:30 PM.
