ST. LOUIS – Missouri Baptist University women's lacrosse scored at ease on Thursday in its Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) opener overpowering first-year program Culver-Stockton College, 18-1. Not only did the Spartans put on a clinic offensively in their first win of the season, but they also flexed their muscles on defense forcing 19 C-SC turnovers and limiting the visitors to just five shots.
 
Thursday's 18-1 victory marks the fewest goals allowed by the Spartans since March 4, 2015 when MBU defeated NCAA DIII Wartburg College, 10-1. To put it into perspective, in the program's 11^th season, Missouri Baptist has held its opponent to one goal or fewer on just four occasions.
 
MoBap moves to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the KCAC, while Culver-Stockton is still in search of the program's first win sitting at 0-5, 0-2 KCAC.
 
Missouri Baptist scored early and often notching the game's first six goals before the halfway mark of the first period. During the 6-0 run, five different Spartans got in on the scoring action including Chayleb Deves, Sameera Hammad, Melina Custer, Jordan Haeusser and Ashley Avery.
 
With limited time of possession, Culver-Stockton found a narrow window of opportunity and successfully avoided the shutout with a goal at the 12:41 mark in the first half. Less than a minute after C-SC's lone goal, Missouri Baptist started a new scoring run punching in five goals in a 5-minute span. Deves, Avery and Custer each found the back of the net for the second time, while senior Audrey Frost scored two during the stretch including MBU's second free-position goal.
 
With an 11-1 advantage at halftime, running clock was implemented once the Spartans' lead reached 10. While the game clock sped up, MBU was much more methodical in its offensive attack. The Spartans tallied 7 goals on 11 shot attempts in the second half.
 
Madison Turnbeaugh and Maggie McDaniel scored their first goals of the contest, while Ashley Avery, Jordan Haeusser, Chayleb Deves and Melina Custer all recorded hat tricks with their second-half goals.
 
Senior goalkeeper Kaitlin Mills was credited with the win and registered one save, while freshman Amelia Shaw also saw action in goal and led the team with two saves.
 
Other notable stats for MBU included a 27-6 advantage in ground balls, a 17-4 advantage in draw controls and 32-4 advantage in shots on goal.