JOPLIN, Mo. — Washburn (6-2-2, 3-0-1) defeated Missouri Southern State (2-6-3, 0-3-2) 5-1 at Hal Bodon Field, with Washburn's attack led by a first-half hat trick.
Missouri Southern State stood at 2-6-3 overall with a conference record of 0-3-2 following their latest match. Washburn improved to 6-2-2 overall and was 3-0-1 in conference play.
Presley Whitmire scored the lone goal for Missouri Southern State, converting her only shot on goal.
Bella Smith was active in goal, recording seven saves over 90 minutes of play.
Ashten Holloway provided pressure up front with one shot on goal.
Gracie Groothuis and
Sam Ayala each contributed with a shot attempt, though neither resulted in a goal.
The first half began with Missouri Southern State taking an early lead when Whitmire converted a penalty kick, putting the home team ahead. Smith made several key saves against Washburn's offensive efforts, including stopping shots by Aubrey Tanksley and Leah Henke. Despite this, Washburn responded with three goals from Henke, including one assisted by Grace Peterson, taking a 3-1 lead. Missouri Southern continued to press forward with attempts by
Ja'Cessya Grifin and Groothuis but couldn't alter the score before the half ended. The half closed with Mo. Southern St. trailing 3-1.
The second half commenced with the Lions aiming to shift momentum but faced an early setback when Washburn's Kate Hinck scored in the 54th minute, extending the visitors' lead to 4-1. Smith, in goal, made several critical saves to limit further damage, including a stop against Tanksley. Missouri Southern State generated opportunities, with shots from Holloway and
Daniela Marquez challenging the Washburn defense, but were unable to find the back of the net. Washburn capitalized again in the 72nd minute with a goal from Jules Wardlaw, assisted by Bricelyn Betts, pushing the score to 5-1. Despite continued efforts from Missouri Southern and a late attempt by Ayala, the team couldn't close the gap. The half ended with Washburn maintaining their lead, concluding the match with a 5-1 victory over the Lions.
