DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's soccer team scored early and often in an 8-0 dismantling of rival Defiance College on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. The visitors improved to 3-9-3 and 1-4-2 in the Heartland Conference, while Defiance fell to 2-12-2 and 0-7 in the HCAC.

Sophomore Alyssa Kester (Centerville) hit paydirt three times in the first eight minutes and the Beavers never looked back! Rilynn Kaufman (Goshen, Ind./Bethany Christian) and Clara Matthews (Bluffton) both added first-half tallies as Bluffton took a commanding 5-0 lead at the break.

Kester made it 6-0 with her fourth goal of the match at the 78:04 mark and fifth-year senior Nina McGinn (Marion/Harding) got in on the scoring action 12 seconds later with her first of two goals in less than three minutes!

The eight goals marked the most scoring by a Bluffton women's soccer team since they whipped Andrews University in 2012. Kester came up just one shy of the school-record five goals held by Becky Boblitt and DeAnna Anderson!

Karley Ramirez (Archbold), Katelyn Burden (Sidney) and Mya Vernon (Toledo/Central Catholic) all dished out helpers on Wednesday afternoon.

Bluffton finished with a whopping 40-8 advantage in total shots, including 22-3 on frame. The visitors forced all seven corner kicks and they were called for five of the eight fouls.

McGinn pelted the Yellow Jackets with 15 shots (5 on frame). Kester needed just six shots to put her four goals in the back of the net! Matthews added five attempts for the victors.

Bluffton will make the long trek to Terre Haute, Ind. for a 1 p.m. showdown with Rose-Hulman on Saturday, Oct. 21, before the 2023 finale with Manchester back at the Sears Complex next Wednesday, Oct. 25. Go Beavers!

-BEAVERS-