Notables
-Third-consecutive shutout for the Saints, Rudolph's fourth of the year
-CSS out-shot Morris 24-4 (17-2 SOG)
-Rancour's second hat trick on the season
MORRIS, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – For the third consecutive game, the College of St. Scholastica women's soccer team held its conference opponent scoreless in dominating fashion. This time, it was the University of Minnesota Morris Cougars falling to the Saints by a score of 4-0 Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field.
First Half
With both teams having a lot to play for in this conference matchup, the Saints looking to keep up with first-place Northwestern and the Cougars trying to maintain their fourth-place spot, there wouldn't be much room for error. The Saints came ready to place, however, and showed that intensity from the moment they stepped on the field.
Seven minutes into the game
Janelle Rouillard (Dayton, Minn./Rogers HS) fired the first shot towards Morris keeper Megan Tschida. Tschida would save Rouillard's attempt however, and stop three more CSS shots before being beat in the 30th minute.
1-0 read the scoreboard on the Saints' fifth shot on goal of the first half, as
Becca Rancour (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson HS) netted her first of the day to give the Saints the early lead.
Kailee Katt (Esko, Minn./Esko HS (St. Catherine)) picked up the assist. Rancour's score was almost the second one of the game, though, as
Taylor Olson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Denfeld HS) sent one off the post earlier in the half.
Nine minutes later, with no one from either team having mustered a shot between Rancour's goal and the 38th minute, she put it in her own hands (or feet) to make something happen yet again. At 38:14, Rancour sent one past Tschida for her second of the game to boost the momentum for CSS heading into the locker room.
Second Half
Once again it took around seven minutes for the Saints to start creating action in front of the Cougar net in the second half. This time it was
Hannah Zeis (Ashland, Wis./Ashland HS) firing two at the keeper, with one going wide left and the other flying wide right. Two minutes after Zeis' early pressure, Olson, Rancour, and Zeis again each fired a shot at Tschida. The Cougar keeper stayed strong, stopping all three of the attempts to keep the match at 2-0.
In the 70th minute, after subbing into the game just 40 seconds earlier,
Lexie DeWall (Proctor, Minn./Proctor HS (Morningside)) netted the third goal of the game for CSS to bump the score to 3-0. Rouillard assisted on the play, marking her fifth on the year.
Moments later, Rancour found herself in front of the net again and made the Cougar defense pay by recording her third goal of the game for the coveted hat trick. Once again it was Rouillard assisting, marking her second of the game and sixth of the season.
The Saints fired three more shots in the remaining twenty minutes, with all of them being saved by Tschida to keep the score at 4-0.
Roni Rudolph (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS (Minnesota-Duluth)) did her part behind the net, stopping both shots that were sent her way in the second half to record her fourth shutout of the year.
St. Scholastica now improves to 8-5-2 (7-1-1 UMAC), while Minnesota-Morris falls to 6-7-1 (4-4-1 UMAC).
Up Next
The Saints will now head to St. Paul for a non-conference matchup against Hamline University on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
