MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State soccer team celebrated their senior day with a 6-0 victory over Minnesota Crookston on Sunday afternoon at The Schwan Regional Event Center.
The Mustangs (2-6-7 overall, 2-6-4 NSIC) outshot the Golden Eagles (2-12-1, 1-10-1) 24-6, while putting 15 shots on net as opposed to the six of UMC.
On a day that celebrated the contributions from six SMSU seniors, it was their youth that helped the offense explode. Four of the six goals were scored by underclassmen, while also contributing four of the seven assists.
Although the youth shined, it was the senior captain got the ball rolling, as a bouncing ball in front of the net found the foot of
Katie Oatman, who netted the opener in the 25
th minute to take a 1-0 lead.
Oatman ignited a threat the 40
th minute, recovering a turnover at midfield and sending it into the box, where
Kirsten Wetterstrom did the rest to find the back of the net and take a 2-0 lead.
Just before the break, the Mustangs added another, as Oatman saved a free kick from going out and heading the ball in front of the net, where the ball made its way to
Hannah Walburg tapped it in for her first collegiate goal.
In the 70
th minute, senior
Madi Foutz parked a pass right in front of the net, where fellow senior
Alex Lotts deflected it off the goalie before finishing a rebound opportunity to add to the advantage.
Haley Mason would make a wonderful run down the right side of the field in the 75
th minute, sending a cross through the box to
Brooke Wetterstrom, who netted the fifth goal of the game for the Mustangs, and
Kylee Bennett finished the onslaught, burying a rebound to end the scoring on SMSU's first six-goal performance since 2014.
Julianne Arballo was superb in between the pipes for the Mustangs, stopping all three shots faced for her first career clean sheet as a starter. She combined for one, playing 71 minutes of a 2-0 victory over MSU Moorhead last season.
SMSU returns to the field Thursday, Oct. 21 for a road game against Concordia-St. Paul at 7 p.m.