ST. LOUIS—Missouri Baptist women's soccer thrashed Hannibal-LaGrange 8-1 on Wednesday afternoon at Spartan Field to extend its unbeaten streak to nine games.
After a 10-0 win on Saturday, the Spartans picked up where they left off on Wednesday. In the eighth minute
Miranda Pratt attempted a cross into the Hannibal penalty area but it deflected off a Trojan player and in for an own goal. Pratt double the lead around 15 minutes later when she was sent in alone on a breakaway. Her initial shot was stopped but the freshman calmly tracked down the rebound and finished it to put MBU up 2-0.
The Spartans would add two more in the final five minutes of the first half. In the 40
th minute,
Morgan Mell's cross ricocheted off a Hannibal player for the second own-goal of the half. Then, with less than a minute to go,
Alyssa Matz found space at the top of the box and fired home her second of the year to make it 4-0 at the break.
Three minutes after the restart,
Alexis Ramey would push the advantage to five for MBU. A through ball from
Allie Heinz sent the Ritenour HS product in alone. Ramey's first shot was parried aside but not out of danger. The freshman was able to get enough on the rebound to reach the open net.
Hannibal would then pull one back in the 59
th minute off an indirect free kick from inside the Missouri Baptist penalty area. That made it 5-1 and it would stay that way until a hectic final five minutes.
In the 85
th minute,
Miranda Pratt took matters into her own hands. After forcing a turnover at midfield, the former Rosati-Kain standout sidestepped several Hannibal defenders, giving herself a clear cut breakaway. She then easily walked around Trojan goalkeeper Madi Allen and slotted home to restore the Spartans' five goal lead. The freshman's second of the day was also her team-leading 12
th goal of the year.
Three minutes later,
Casey Gutting sent
Danielle Wilde in alone on Allen. Allen got a piece of the shot but it managed to trickle over the line for MBU's seventh goal of the day. It was senior's first of the year and the eighth of her career. Gutting would then put a bow on the scoring with two minutes left. Her eighth of the year made it 8-1 and that would be the final score. Pratt and
Kenzie Bunch provided the assists.
Jemica Artillaga and
Brooklynn Hamman once again split time in goal for MBU. Each played a half and made one save apiece to combine for the win.
Missouri Baptist improves to 6-4-3 overall and 6-0-2 in the American Midwest Conference. The next test will be the one the Spartans' have circled on their calendar each year. They travel to Columbia on Saturday afternoon to take on the 19
th ranked Cougars. Columbia currently holds the top spot in the AMC standings and will also enter undefeated in conference play (7-0). Kickoff at Marvin Owens Stadium is scheduled for 5 pm.
