RIO GRANDE, Ohio -- After the opening of the non-conference slate saw them go 5-2, the Midway University women's soccer team opened River States Conference play on Thursday night when they traveled to Rio Grande (Ohio) to battle the RedStorm.
The RedStorm blitzed the Eagles with three first half goals building a 3-0 advantage at intermission. Rio Grande added two more goals in the second half before Midway got a penalty kick, but it wasn't enough as the RedStorm cruised to the 5-1 victory.
Midway struggled to get any offense going against the RedStorm defense as the home squad held a 13-3 advantage in shots in the first half alone. Just one of Midway's three shots in the opening stanza were on frame.
Amelia Bragg broke a scoreless draw in the eighth minute as she gave the RedStorm a 1-0 advantage after chipping a shot over Rebekah McKee's (Rossville, Ind.) hands from about 25 yards out.
The Eagles dodged a bullet in the 20th minute when Bragg had her shot clank off the crossbar after McKee made a save just seconds before. Regan Snyder (Monroe, Ohio) had a couple of shots, but neither were on frame as one sailed wide and the other sailed high.
The RedStorm added a pair of goals in the final 10 minutes of the half. Lyndlee Willis had the first tally in the 36th minute, while Acacia Kauffman added another in the 41st minute.
Shelbie Williams (Brandenburg, Ky.) added a shot on frame late in the half, but her shot was scooped up by Rio Grande net-minder, Jayla Brown.
Snyder had a shot on frame early in the second stanza, but her shot was also scooped up by Brown. Brown, meanwhile, got some help from her offense when they added goals in the 65th and 68th minutes.
Willis scored her second goal of the contest in the 65th minute, while Emily Hoffman capped off the scoring for the RedStorm in the 68th minute pushing the lead to 5-0.
Midway finally got on board by way of a penalty kick in the 84th minute. Following a yellow card from Brown in the box, Destinee Epperson (Owenton, Ky.) stepped up ripped the PK by Brown and into the back of the net making the final score 5-1.
The RedStorm – who improved to 1-8 overall and 1-0 in conference play – finished the contest with a 20-13 edge in shots and a 14-4 advantage in shots on frame.
McKee finished the contest with five saves in her 67 minutes in goal, while Sarah Underwood (Nicholasville, Ky.) played the final 22:57 in goal making four saves.
The Eagles – who fall to 5-3 overall and 0-1 in league play – are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Beckley, W. Va. to battle West Virginia Tech at 5 p.m. ET.
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