The Benedictine University Mesa women's soccer team delivered a commanding performance on their home field, shutting out Nelson University 5–0 with a relentless attack and strong defensive play.
The Redhawks set the tone early, controlling possession and creating consistent pressure. In the 13th minute,
Rylee Hatcher broke through with the opening goal, capitalizing on an early chance to give Benedictine the lead. The Redhawks continued to test Nelson goalkeeper Tiany Melendrez, forcing multiple saves off corner kicks and close-range shots.
Hatcher struck again in the 37th minute, this time assisted by
Cahryn Rod, to extend the lead to 2–0. At the other end, goalkeeper
Thea Draganova kept Nelson off the board with key saves, preserving the advantage heading into halftime.
Benedictine carried their momentum into the second half. Just ten minutes after the restart,
Brylee Rod added the third goal off a setup from Tori St. Rose, then struck again in the 66th minute to make it 4–0.
Michaela Dennehy capped the scoring in the 70th minute, her persistence around the goal finally rewarded with the Redhawks' fifth strike of the night.
Nelson generated a few chances late, but second-half goalkeeper
Tatum Lally ensured the shutout, highlighted by a save in the 89th minute.
It was a complete team effort for Benedictine Mesa, with Hatcher and Rod combining for four goals, Dennehy adding another, and both Draganova and Lally securing the clean sheet.
Key Players:
Looking Ahead:
The Redhawks return to action on September 11, hitting the road to face OUAZ.
