WOMEN’S SOCCER

The Forester women’s soccer team dominated possession and pace from the opening whistle Wednesday evening at King Stadium, putting away two late goals to secure a decisive 3-0 Crossroads League victory over Goshen College.

The win marks the second straight conference triumph and second clean sheet of the season for the Foresters, who improve to 7-4-1 overall (2-4 CL). With the loss, Goshen drops to 3-10-2 on the year (0-5-1 CL).

Huntington controlled the run of play throughout the contest, outshooting the Maple Leafs 24-7 on the night and holding a 9-5 edge in shots on frame. Despite the sustained offensive pressure, HU’s breakthrough came in the 27th minute courtesy of a miscue by the visitors. Freshman midfielder Payton Toth ripped a hard cross from the endline into the penalty area that deflected off a Goshen defender and redirected directly into the back of the net for an own goal at the 26:07 mark.

The 1-0 advantage stood until the 72nd minute, when the Foresters converted their dominance into insurance. Toth sent a long throw-in into the box that senior forward Sophie Shepherd allowed to bounce before driving a left-footed strike into the back of the net. The goal marked Shepherd’s team-leading 10th tally of the season, moving her into third place among Crossroads League scoring leaders.

Less than two minutes later, Huntington put the match completely out of reach. Senior Jianna Simons embarked on a dynamic run from midfield and slipped a pass into the box to Toth. Toth maneuvered around two Maple Leaf defenders to find her strong side and buried a far-post finish at 73:17 to ice the 3-0 victory.

“The game wasn’t our best, but we had moments of brilliance,” said head coach Keaton Albert. “The best teams find a way to win even on the off day. The team showed that today. Mentality is that very thing that keeps a team digging and finding a way to pull through. We will rest up, refocus, and move toward our next target.”

Goalkeeper Macie Sanders earned the shutout win in net for Huntington, stopping all five shots on goal she faced across the full 90 minutes.

Up Next
The Foresters hit the road on Saturday to Mishawaka a 6:00 p.m. Crossroads League matchup against Bethel.