NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. –For the ninth consecutive season, the Hanover women's soccer team earned a victory in its Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opening match, winning at Manchester Saturday afternoon, 5-1.

Since the first conference game of the 2009 season, Hanover has earned a victory in all of its HCAC openers. The win improves the Panthers to 7-2-0 overall in 2017, marking the team's third straight victory.

Overall, five different Panthers scored a goal, while three HC players recorded an assist. Junior Cassidy Evanson (Carmel, Ind.) was a part of three scores Saturday, tallying a first half goal and two second half helpers.

Sophomore Brandi Brock (Cincinnati, Ohio) got the Panthers off to a quick start, scoring the game's first goal in the third minute. Senior Daria Volker (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) recorded the assist, as Brock's shot beat the Spartan (0-9, 0-1 HCAC) goalkeeper on the right side.

Evanson's score came in the 21st minute, giving the Blue and Red a 2-nil advantage. Junior Leah Ellis (Floyds Knobs, Ind.) picked up her first assist of the season on the goal.

After a Manchester goal in the 32nd minute, Hanover left the pitch at halftime with a 2-1 lead. The Panthers held a 13-3 edge in shots during the opening half and finished the contest with a 32-5 advantage in total shot attempts.

The Blue and Red had 16 of its 32 shots come on goal. Freshman Natalie Fausz (Alexandria, Ky.) recorded a team high six shot attempts with three coming on net. Fausz also got the second half scoring started with a goal at 68:15.

Less than three minutes after Fausz's score, sophomore Maisyn Garland (Rochester, Ill.) tallied her third goal of the season. Evanson logged the assist on HC's first two second half goals.

Capping off the second stanza scoring spurt was sophomore Abby Howes (Terre Haute, Ind.). Howes found the back of the net on a free kick in the 82nd minute, beating the MU netminder on the left side.

Sophomore Emma Debolt (West Chester, Ohio) started in goal for HC, playing the first 81:31. Debolt made one save, while allowing one goal in her sixth victory of the season.

The Panthers have now won 11 straight over the Spartans, with the last non-victory coming during a 3-3 draw in 2007.

Hanover will look to continue its recent strong play when the team welcomes Franklin for a 5 p.m. match Wednesday, Oct. 4.

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@hanover.edu