Adam Kelly | Echo
The Taylor women's soccer team defeated the Marian Knights 4-1 Wednesday night at New Stadium.
"We controlled the game and outshot them 15-3," said head coach Scott Stan. "We had a really good first 20 minutes, scored three times and then did what we needed to do to finish it out."
The Trojans have been looking for a win since hitting a rough patch the past couple of games. Getting a win would put TU back on track like the way they began the season.
Taylor got three quick goals at the start and never looked back. Freshman defender Brienna Kruit put a quick one in the net to start the game, followed by junior midfielder Amanda Roden with one of her own. Freshman forward Shannon Jacobsen added another goal before half while Roden notched her second of the game in the second stanza.
Taylor maintained ball control continuously throughout the game, turning up the pressure with 15 shots on the night and eight on goal.
The Trojans gained the early lead from Kruit's goal five minutes into the game off a corner kick. Roden scored her first of the night with 33 minutes remaining in the first half. Jacobsen added hers two and a half minutes later by powering it into the lower right corner. The score was 3-0 Taylor at halftime. Roden scored the lone goal in the second half, firing a shot to the upper right corner from about 20 yards.
Taylor played solid defense, allowing only three shots, all on goal. They also allowed no corners to the Knights while playing 17 of their own in the game. The game was pretty clean with 13 total fouls, but things got rough near the end with a yellow card on Marian.
Roden accomplished a feat only seven others have done in school history by getting double digit goals and assists in her career.
"This game was really fun. We have had a couple hard losses and today we really just played together as a team and it was really fun," Roden said.
The team heads to battle with the fifth-ranked Cougars in Spring Arbor tomorrow at 7 p.m.
Photography by Timothy P. Riethmiller
