ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Baptist University women's soccer team collected four straight wins in conference before a defeat at the hands of No. 13 Columbia College this past weekend. The Spartans (9-4-2, 5-1 AMC) bounced back nicely with a sweeping 4-0 win against Central Baptist College (6-8-1, 3-3 AMC) on Tuesday evening. MBU reigned over the field and defeated the Mustangs without yielding a single shot on goal to the visitors.
Missouri Baptist struck first in the 15th minute with Hailey Hickerson's first career goal. With two quick touches in the middle of the field from Mara George and Madi Dunahue, Hickerson took Dunahue's pass from 30 yards out and floated her shot just out of the reach of Central Baptist goalkeeper Jayme Selph.
Some more great passing by the Spartans set up the game's second goal. This time, working from the outside in, Gianna Gore and Casey Gutting assisted Simone Simas on a low-line drive from 25 yards out that bounced its way in. Simas' goal was the first of the season as well as the first of her career.
With a 2-0 lead at halftime, the Spartans held firm and kept a two-goal cushion until the 78th minute. Fouled just outside of the box, forward Casey Gutting made it a 3-0 ballgame taking the free kick and placing it top right past the Mustangs' backup goalkeeper Bailey Walerczyk.
Junior forward Skyla Koch put the finishing touches on the 4-0 win with a goal in the 86th minute. Maddie Mrazik lofted her corner kick over a pack of Spartans and Mustangs in the middle of the box, which allowed Koch a one-timer off the bounce.
Defensively, the Spartans held Central Baptist to just one shot in the game making it a rather uneventful day in goal for Hanna Harrison. The senior goalkeeper registered her fourth shutout of the year and the Spartans' sixth in the 2022 season.
Missouri Baptist Women's Soccer conquered its final home game of the season and closed out the home schedule with a 5-2-1 mark at Spartan Field. Following the victory, MBU visits Lyon College (1-12) in Batesville, Ark. on Saturday at 3:00 PM.
