Van Wormer’s hat trick leads Lady Lancers
MONTGOMERY, W.V. – Liz Van Wormer continued her goal-scoring ways with a hat trick on Monday for Grace’s women’s soccer team.
The No. 15 Lady Lancers (3-0) topped West Virginia Tech 4-0 on the road to remain undefeated. Van Wormer, a Warsaw Tiger graduate, has now scored five goals in the past two matches.
Grace started the game as the aggressor, trying a few early shots and keeping the ball at WVU’s end of the field.
The Lady Lancers found a breakaway chance 15 minutes into the match, but Baylei Peters’s shot was saved from close range.
The Golden Bears (0-1) implemented a high defensive line to try to slow down Grace’s attack, resulting in six offside calls against the Lady Lancers in the first half.
Grace broke through in the 27th minute. JJ Aalbue sent in a corner kick from the right side, and Liz Van Wormer finished off the cross for her third goal of the season.
The teams entered halftime with Grace ahead 1-0, but Grace’s scoring was just getting started.
During the early portions of the second half, Grace added three more goals in the span of five minutes.
Cassidy Wasson scored first after an assist by Alexis Larimore.
Van Wormer then found the back of the net twice a minute apart to complete her hat trick and put the Lady Lancers ahead 4-0. Wasson and Sacia Hanson assisted Van Wormer’s second and third goals respectively.
The ball remained pinned in the Golden Bears’ territory for much of the second half. For the half, Grace owned an 11-2 advantage in shots.
The Golden Bears were outshot 16-3 overall, and Grace also had all six corner kicks in the match. The Lady Lancers were whistled offsides 12 times.
Bethany Blackwood earned her second shutout of the season, making three saves in 90 minutes. She was protected well by McKenna Cruz, Lea Moessinger, Hannah Tkacz and Brooke Kohler.
The Lady Lancers return home on Saturday for an 11 a.m. match against Graceland.