BISMARCK. N.D. – When your goaltender not only helps shut out the opposing team but also contributes a goal, chances are your team had a really good day. For the University of Mary women's soccer team, the season finale couldn't go any better as the Marauders rolled over MSU Moorhead 5-0.
Mykala Benjamin tallied twice for U-Mary and goalkeeper
Bailey Wenz scored a goal and kept the Dragons out of the net.
With offense and defense working perfectly in synch, the goal total for the Marauders was a season-high. Defensively U-Mary tied its season-best mark by allowing the Dragons to place just three shots on frame.
Benjamin opened the scoring in the 16
th minute as she buried a rebound off the post from a
Michelle McGeary shot. The senior from Kent, Wash., has now scored in four of the last six games.
A Dragons defensive error created the next Marauders goal. After MSUM was whistled for a foul inside the 18' box, Wenz, was summoned all the way down the field by her teammates to take the subsequent penalty kick for U-Mary. The senior from Gillette, Wyo., didn't disappoint, driving the ball past her MSUM counterpart for a 2-0 U-Mary lead in the 42
nd minute.
Not done, the Marauders tacked on their third goal of the opening half when
Megan Searson struck from 30 yards out with just two seconds remaining on the clock. It was her fifth counter of the season. McGeary picked up her second assist of the game on the goal.
U-Mary rounded out the season with two more goals in the second half. Benjamin scored her team-high sixth goal in the 56
th minute off the assist by
Alexis Nahring. The career-high total for Benjamin all occurred in the last six games. Freshman
Nicole Wolfer posted her first career goal in the 82
nd minute, knocking home a loose ball following a corner kick served by fellow freshman
Jade Smith.
In addition to her goal, Wenz recorded three saves in 73:28 of work, combining with
Elizabeth Heintzman to record the Marauders third clean sheet of the season.
Five Marauders wore the Blue & Orange for the final time: Wenz, Benjamin,
Jacquelyn Smith,
Destiny Glaser and
Emily Christensen.
The Marauders held a 24-6 edge in shots and 13-3 advantage in shots on frame. The Marauders also took nine corner kicks to one for the Dragons.
U-Mary finishes the season 3-12-2 overall and 3-11-1 in the Northern Sun. MSU Moorhead is 1-12-4 and 1-12-2.
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