FAYETTE, Mo. – After yielding three goals in the first 21 minutes of their matchup against tenth-ranked Central Methodist University, the Missouri Baptist Spartans Women's Soccer team was unable to sustain consistent attacks on the Eagles in the second half, failing 3-0 in Fayette, Mo. on Monday.
 
The shutout is the second consecutive against a member of the Heart of America Athletic conference, having come up on the short end of a 1-0 score on Saturday at Culver-Stockton College.
 
The Eagles of CMU dominated this game early and often, getting on the board first just two and a half minutes into the contest. CMU had a free kick near mid-field, and the ball was served to just outside the Spartans six-yard box. It appeared the ball was cleared successfully out of danger but fell to the foot of an Eagles midfielder sent it right back inside the 18-yard box. Unfortunately for MBU the ball pinballed off of traffic in front of the net and fell dangerously to Eagles' striker Eduarda Fuculo. She made no mistake with it, firing the ball past Gabby Mattli, the defenseless Spartan keeper. The Eagles had the early lead 1-0.
 
In the thirteenth minute the Spartans were whistled for a hard foul in the box. The play resulted in a yellow card against MBU but more damaging was that a penalty kick was awarded.  Eagles player Alicia Zamora fired the kick past Mattli for a 2-0 CMU lead.
 
With nearly 24 minutes remaining the first half, MBU gave the ball away on a miscommunication on a throw in. CMU's Lacey Ann Murray dribbled in near the right post and had the option of crossing to a teammate. Instead, she elected to sneak the ball inside the right post to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead they would not relinquish.
 
The Eagles had 15 shots on goal with 10 of them on frame. Mattli ended the game with seven saves. The Spartan offense had six shots but only two on goal.
 
The schedule doesn't do the Spartans any favors just yet. Next on the slate is a road game against the second-ranked Marian Knights on Saturday. Following that game MBU will finally get a home game next Tuesday, September 12, when they entertain Clarke University. The women's soccer team is starting their regular season with five consecutive road contests.