LEAD

WATERTOWN, Wis. -- With a 3-0 win over Rockford University, the 2019 Sabercats Women's Soccer season is off to a flying start.

With essentially the same scoresheet as last year, Alexis Sponable scored twice and Angel Steuerwald scored once as the Sabercats opened the campaign 2019 with a win.

OVERVIEW

• Result: Maranatha 3-0 Rockford
• Venue: Maranatha Baptist University
• Location: Watertown, Wis.
• Attendance: 47
• Records: MBU (1-0-0), RU (0-3-1)

STORY

The scoring opened in the 10th minute after Sponable played a through ball into the path of Steuerwald. Steuerwald scored her second goal in as many years against Rockford by dribbling into the Regents' penalty area before slamming her shot into the upper corner.

Five minutes later, Sponable turned from provider to finisher. Sponable ran behind the Regents' back line to receive a long ball from Sarah Bagin, dribbling in and chipping it over the oncoming Rockford keeper for her 35th career goal.

Maranatha continued to suffocate the Regents in the opening possessions, forcing 11 saves from Amelia Harper in the first half alone. The two-goal spree was the only thing the Sabercats had to show for their efforts, but it was enough to hold a firm advantage entering halftime.

After the break, it took Sponable just 11 minutes to add her second goal of the season. Amy Montgomery slipped a pass through to Sponable, who buried her shot from 12 yards into the bottom-left corner to triple the Sabercats' lead.

That was all that the Sabercats needed, as they essentially copied the scoresheet from 2018 to mark a shutout start to 2019. 

Trisha Wright, Joanna Donovan, Kseniya Hassenplug, Olivia Vander Pluym, and Taylor Moses all made their collegiate debuts for Maranatha.

MBU Starters: 0- Wright, 6- Montgomery (C), 7- Evans, 8- Nelson, 9- Ng, 10- Riley, 12- Moore, 13- Bagin, 14- Sponable, 15- Hendrickson, 19- Steuerwald

STATS

• Shot count: Maranatha 27-2 Rockford
• Sponable: 2 goals, 5 shots on goal
• Steuerwald: 1 goal, 5 shots on goal
• Wright: 1 save in the shutout win
• MBU: 13 shots on goal in the first half
• Last year: Maranatha beat the Regents 3-0 in Rockford
• Series: Maranatha now leads the series, 13-0-0

OPPONENTS

• The Regents have rejoined the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference for the 2019 season
• Rockford is off to a 0-3-1 start to the season, falling to Monmouth (Ill.) and Lawrence before today
• RU has seven non-conference clashes before beginning NACC play on September 24

NEXT

The Sabercats will travel to Hancock, Michigan to take on Finlandia tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. Eastern. Watch live at mbusabercats.com/schedule.