Principia Sinks Eureka, 7-0
EUREKA, Ill. – Principia leading scorer Rachel Publicover recorded a hat trick and Kristen Crandall provided the match-winner in the 19th minute, lifting the Panthers to a 7-0 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory over the Eureka College women's soccer team, Saturday afternoon at Traister Field.
Crandall ripped a shot from close range past Eureka (0-11-0, 0-3-0 SLIAC) junior goalkeeper Sami Williamson (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central H.S.) at 18:43 to break a scoreless tie. The Panthers made it 2-0 in the 35th minute when Kenzie Keller's drive from the top of the box hit the back of the net for a 2-0 advantage.
Principia (7-3-1, 2-0-0 SLIAC) put the contest out of reach when Publicover scored her first of three second-half goals in the 54th minute for a 3-0 advantage. Hayley MacWilliams, Cristina Post and Carlie Sanderude added strikes in the second half for the visitors.
Williamson made 16 saves to continue her match toward breaking Eureka's single-season save record. Williamson has made 127 stops in 2011, needing another 64 saves to match Amy Funk's record of 191 set in Eureka's inaugural NCAA Division III season in 2007. Freshman Jenna Brooks (Peoria, Ill./Limestone H.S.) attempted Eureka's only shot of the afternoon, a drive in the 11th minute that was blocked by the Principia defense.
Eureka will resume competition in a non-conference match against Midwest Conference member Carroll this Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Traister Field. The contest was originally scheduled for last month, but was rescheduled.
