Cougars Pick Up First Win of the Season Over NCAA DIII Manchester

(North Manchester, IN)-- The Cleary Cougar Women's Soccer team took on their last non-conference matchup of the season today as they traveled to North Manchester, Indiana to take on the NCAA DIII Manchester University Spartans. 

The Cougars would come out and apply pressure to the Spartan defense within the first 10 minutes of the game. Evalyn Cole would get the shooting started for the Cougars just 3 minutes into the game but would miss wide right. Just 4 minutes later at the 7:17 mark, the Cougars would draw a foul in the box giving them an early penalty kick. Coach Steve Horn elected Cristina de Miguel to take the shot. She would bury it in the bottom left corner just past the diving goalie to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead, her first goal of the season. With Manchester's defense seeming to have settled in but still taking a lot of shots it would seem that the score would stay. At the 27:10 mark, the Cougars would receive a free kick. Payton Zeh would take it and pass it into the box to Mariah Krone who would sneak it past the goalkeeper to make it a 2-0 Cougar lead, her third goal of the season. Cleary would go into the half with a 2-0 lead. At halftime, the Cougars had 13 shots (2 on goal) and 8 corner kicks while holding Manchester to 0 in both categories. 

Not much would happen in the 2nd half of the game. The Cougar's defense would allow their first and only shot and the Cougar's offense would add on 13 more shots, none falling in the back of the net. Brooke Troutten would make her collegiate debut, playing the final 5 minutes of the half. 

Tara McGrath started in goal for the Cougars and would play the first 45 minutes of the game. She would also pick up her first win of the season in net. Goalkeeper Bella Marsh would pick up 28 minutes of play in the second half. Sara Mecomber would make her collegiate debut in goal today as she picked up the final 17 minutes in goal for the Cougars. 

The Cougars pick up their first win of the season, improving to 1-3-2 on the season. They will open up WHAC Conference play next Saturday, September 14, 2024, as they welcome Defiance College to Lake Trust Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM.