No. 21 AU Women Earn Second League Rout Of Week, Defeat Ursuline At Home

For the second time in three days at Ferguson Field, the No. 21-ranked Ashland University women's soccer team blitzed a Great Midwest Athletic Conference rival.
 
On Saturday (Sept. 20) night, the opponent was Ursuline, and the result was a 7-0 decision for the Eagles (4-2 overall, 2-0 Great Midwest) over the Arrows (2-3, 0-2).
 
"We put in four in the first half. I don't think we played particularly well," noted Ashland head coach Cayleb Paulino. "We were dangerous in the final third and created chances and scored, but leading up to that, I think we were very comfortable on the ball."
 
Ashland has scored at least seven goals in back-to-back games for the first time in 22 years (seven vs. Charleston, nine vs. Davis & Elkins in 2003). The Eagles posted back-to-back clean sheets while scoring at least seven goals in each game for the first time in 24 years (8-0 wins vs. Davis & Elkins and Charleston in 2001).
 
"That's the expectation, to separate yourself," Paulino said. "I was pleased with the second half and making sure that we put some goals in the back of the net."
 
For the second time in three days, Ashland scored the game's opening goal in the third minute. On Saturday, it was freshman forward Tessa Blain with her first collegiate goal on a feed from sophomore forward Sofia Divine, her second assist of the season.
 
Then, in the ninth minute, freshman forward Cece Craig potted her second goal of 2025 following a saved shot by senior forward Dani Hicks, for her 101^st career point – tying her for fourth place on the program's all-time list.
 
Craig and Devine connected for the game's third goal in the 17^th minute, as Devine's corner kick for a third assist this year found Craig in front of the Arrow net for her third goal of the season.
 
Ashland took a 4-0 advantage in the 40^th minute when senior midfielder Keira Erling put in her second goal of the season on helpers from freshman defender Ariana Borneo and freshman midfielder Emily Mendrick (both first collegiate assists).
 
In the 57^th minute, junior defender Kellyn Fausel deposited her first goal at Ashland on a free kick. Ninety seconds later, Devine scored her second goal of the season, unassisted.
 
Finally, in the 77^th minute, Mendrick's first goal at Ashland came on an assist from Blain.
 
THE REST OF THE STORY

• While the offense continued cooking, the Eagle goalkeeping trio of fifth-year Jaya Daniel (first half, two saves), freshman Izzy Ezzone (39½ minutes) and senior Sarah Watson (5½ minutes) recorded the shutout.
• "It's always great to get everybody on the field," Paulino said. "Sarah has been itching to get on the field, so great for her to finish it out for us and keep the clean sheet."
• Ashland out-shot Ursuline by a 16-2 count, and took 10 corner kicks to the Arrows' five.
• After a 1-2 start to the season, the Eagles have won three in a row by an aggregate score of 18-1.

NEXT UP
Wednesday (Sept. 24) at 7:30 p.m. at Ohio Dominican.