By: Colton Steiner

HANOVER, Ind. - The Bluffton Beavers women's soccer team hit the road on Saturday, Oct. 5, to face off against the Hanover College Panthers for their second conference game of the season. The offensive pressure that the home team was able to produce was too much for the Beavers to overcome as they fell to the Panthers by a 6-0 count. The loss dropped Bluffton to an overall mark of 3-5-1 and a conference record of 0-2, while Hanover improved to 7-2 and 2-0 in HCAC play.

The visiting Beavers would try to get on the board first, with Mya Vernon (Toledo/Central Catholic) and Katelyn Burden (Sidney, Ohio / Sidney) each getting a shot on goal at the 12 minute mark, but Panther goalie Emma Patterson was able to get in front of the ball and stop the Bluffton attack. Ten minutes later, Hanover would strike first, with Callen Johnson finding the back of the net for the Panthers. The home team would keep the momentum in their favor, scoring a second goal late in the 29th minute to go into half with a 2-0 lead.

Hanover would come out with a new kind of energy in the second frame, as the home squad would outshoot the Beavers 15-1 over the final 45 minutes. Kaleigh Schirmer would start the second half off for the Panthers with a goal in the 54th minute to extend their lead to 3-0. Goals from Kate Bettner, Cam Horsley, and Lily Clark put the home team up 6-0 and would make the deficit too much for the Beavers to overcome.

Bluffton struggled to find offense in the second half as they were outshot for the game, 28-5. In the net for the Beavers was Brielle Collier (Anna) who snagged 14 saves in the loss.

The Beavers will look to rebound when they travel to Manchester on Wednesday, Oct. 9, with a 5 p.m. start.

- BEAVERS -