Creighton University
Southern Utah
Women's Soccer Routs Southern Utah, 7-0
10/18/2009 2:45:00 PM | Women's Soccer
OMAHA, Neb. - Seven different players scored as Creighton posted a 7-0 victory over Southern Utah in women's soccer action on Sunday afternoon at Morrison Stadium. It was Creighton's 10th shutout of the season, tying a school record originally set in 1990.
Creighton improved to 10-5-1 with the victory - its final non-conference match - while the visiting Thunderbirds fell to 3-10-2 with the setback. Creighton has now won 10 or more games in three straight seasons and seven of the past nine campaigns.
"It was good to respond after our last match and get our confidence back," said head coach Bruce Erickson after the win. "It was nice to see us create a lot of chances and get a lot of goals."
Creighton got on the board in the game's 22nd minute, when defender Eden Hingwing made a nice pass to Brittney Neumann on the wing. Neumann then would direct a pass to Andrea Zuniga, who used her left foot to score her third goal of the season at the 21:31 mark. It was Zuniga's second game-winning goal of the season.
The Bluejays put in their second goal off a corner kick with 10:45 to play in the first half. Mary Zapapas placed her corner kick five yards in front of the goal mouth, where Kat Wright headed it in for her first collegiate goal. The goal came just eight minutes after Wright had checked in after missing the previous six weeks due to injury.
Creighton's third goal of the season came with 5:21 remaining in the first half, as Kelly Connolly worked around the defense and would deflect her shot off a Thunderbird defender to score her second goal of the season off another assist from Zapapas.
Creighton wasted no time extending its lead in the second half, once again scoring on a corner kick in the 48th minute. Zuniga headed the Erin Gunther corner kick off the left post and the rebound deflected to Zapapas. Zapapas' header was then redirected into the goal by Hingwing, who found the back of the net to make it 4-0 with her first goal of the season. It was the third assist of the day for Zapapas, tying a Morrison Stadium record originally set by Kristine Willrett in 2005.
Emily Orbell made it 5-0 when she scored her team-best sixth goal of the season at 54:32. Orbell took a through ball from Gunther and blasted one past the keeper from just inside the top of the box.
Sophomore Annemarie Hengel didn't enter the second half until the 68th minute, but she would help contribute to CU's next two goals as CU's lead reached 7-0. Hengel took a pass from Alexa Lind to score her third goal of the season at the 76:14 mark. Just 93 seconds later Hengel and Jordan Bruch connected on a give-and-go that saw Bruch notch her second goal of the season.
Alicia Montgomery and Kaitie Jo Swanson split time in net for CU, with Montgomery making three saves and Swanson contributing four stops for the clean sheet.
Creighton outshot SUU 26-13 for the contest.
Creighton returns to action next Sunday when it hosts Northern Iowa at 1 pm in its final home match of the regular-season. Creighton will honor its senior class before the match.
NOTES: Creighton has shut out each of its last three home opponents, and is working on a streak of 343:49 at home since last surrendering a goal ...This was the first-ever meeting between Creighton and Southern Utah ...The Jays are now 5-0-0 this year against teams they had not played before this season, out-scoring those foes 18-1 ...Creighton's seven goals were its second-most of the season, one behind its high of eight against South Dakota on Aug. 28th ..Creighton leads the MVC with 37 goals ...Mary Zapapas had three assists and now has five helpers on the season. That is tied for the MVC lead with teammate Emily Orbell ...Creighton used all 26 different players in uniform, with each person seeing at least 10 minutes of action.
