Lady Spartans Soccer Ends 34-Game Drought With Win Over Defiance
Posted
Dillon Bender-
NORTH MANCHESTER – The Manchester University women's soccer team ended the 2019 home slate on a high note on Wednesday, defeating the visiting Defiance College Yellow Jackets 3-0 at Good Field.
Sophomore Bridget Nash spearheaded the MU offense on Wednesday, scoring the Spartans' first two goals against Defiance. Nash opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Nash then put the Spartans ahead 2-0 in 65th minute. Jessica Hudnall and Alexandra Parr earned assists on the Nash's goals.
Playing in her final home game at Good Field, senior Katie Green scored in the 80th minute to put MU up 3-0. It was Green's first goal of the season. Maddie Shepard earned the assist on Green's goal after playing a great ball past the Defiance defense to Green.
Sophomore goalkeeper Cate Bennett made three saves in goal, earning her first career win in her first collegiate start.
For the match, the Spartans outshot Defiance 19-6.
Manchester ended a 34-match losing streak, earning its first win since October 2017.
MU will be back in action on Saturday, travelling to Rose-Hulman for a 1 p.m. matchup with the Fightin' Engineers in Terre Haute.
Men’s Soccer Falls
DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Manchester Spartans fell in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play at Defiance College on Wednesday. The host Yellow Jackets knocked off MU 1-0.
Neither side was able to able to gain much momentum through the first 45 minutes of action, playing to a scoreless draw at the intermission.
Defiance tallied the lone goal of the match in the 59th minute. DC's Jeremy Jimenez scored his second goal of the season to put the Yellow Jackets ahead.
Defiance totaled 13 shots, placing six of those on goal. Manchester registered 12 shots, four of which were put on goal.
Manchester dropped to 7-8-1, 4-2 HCAC this season. Defiance crept a game closer in the race for an HCAC Tournament berth with the win, improving to 8-7-2, 3-2-1 HCAC.
Manchester will gear up for a big test this weekend as the Spartans travel to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. matchup with the Fightin' Engineers.
Volleyball Falls To Bluffton
Manchester University fell in straight sets to visiting Bluffton University in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference volleyball action on Wednesday night in Stauffer-Wolfe Arena. The Beavers topped the Spartans 25-20, 25-22, and 25-18.
Bluffton hit .259 for the match, and the Beavers added six solo blocks and eight block assists. Despite tallying 10 more kills than the Beavers, the Spartans were limited to a .167 hitting percentage.
Junior setter Lauren Gandhi led MU with 28 assists. Kara Heckmuller tallied 12 kills on the strength of a .222 hitting percentage. Halle Planck finished with 11 kills. Freshman Sara Schultz hit .421 against the Beavers, finish the match with nine kills.
Both Mackenzie Rooks and Anna Marie Lawrie had 11 digs.
Bluffton improved to 6-20, 2-4 HCAC with the on Wednesday night. Manchester dropped to 10-13, 0-5 HCAC with the loss.
The Spartans will host Mount St. Joseph at 2 p.m. Saturday in Stauffer-Wolfe Arena for Senior Day.
