HUNTINGDON, Pa.- Senior Sarah Rhodes (Bloomfield, N.Y./Bloomfield Central) tallied three goals in the first half as the Juniata women's soccer team broke out the offense in a 5-0 win over Thiel on Saturday afternoon at Winton Hill Field. It was the most goals in a game for an individual player since Caitlin Bigelow last achieved it in 2007.
The Eagles dominated the Tomcats in shots (38-4), shots on goal (26-3), and in corner kicks (6-0). On the day, two Eagles scored their first career goals. Sophomore Maggie Pozenel (Croton-on-Hudson, NY/Croton-Harmon) put Juniata on the board in the 10th minute of play while freshman Anna Kaufman (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) followed in the 17th minute. Both scores were assisted by freshman Wynter Adams (Houtzdale, Pa./Moshannon Valley).
Rhodes' goals all game with nine minutes of each other. The first came in the 31st minute. The second was in the 34th minute on a shot that deflected of Tomcat goalkeeper Kim Gentry and into the back of the net. Rhodes' third score was a header that bounced off the bottom of the crossbar and in.
Kerry Leonard (Cockeysville, Md./Maryvale Prep) and Erin Mueller (Bedford, Pa./Bedford) split the shutout in goal. Leonard started and played the first half and made one save. Mueller came in the second half and deflected two shots.
Head coach Scott McKenzie said afterwards that his team worked on adding more pressure in this week's training. "We worked on being aggressive and 38 shots is aggressive," said McKenzie. "What I like about it is 26 were on goal. That is what statistically says about the improvement between the last game and this game."
McKenzie said that his team can take the confidence from today's game into the next match. That opportunity will come on Wednesday when the Eagles go on the road to face Pitt-Bradford. Game time will be at 4 p.m.
