WATERTOWN, Wis. -- The Sabercats got things started early today and never looked back, as they upended Mount Mary University 5-1 for their first win of the 2022 season.

Kseniya Hassenplug and Katelyn Morrison both scored twice, Faith Dargy scored her first collegiate goal, and Chelsea Graham notched two assists in a well-balanced team win.

OVERVIEW

• Result: Maranatha 5-1 Mount Mary
• Venue: Maranatha Baptist University
• Location: Watertown, Wis.
• Attendance: 91
• Record: MBU (1-7-0), MMU (0-8-1) 

STORY

The Sabercats' story has been one of persistence so far this season, as they have endured a rigorous schedule early on. So when Danelle Habegger set up Hassenplug for the first goal of the game, the Sabercats started to believe again. Hassenplug made no mistake, either, smashing her shot from the top of the box into the far corner of the net for an emphatic early opener.

Morrison got herself on the board around the 20-minute mark, as she ripped the ball away from a Mount Mary defender, dribbled into the box, and lifted it over the oncoming goalkeeper for her first collegiate goal.

Morrison scored again just three minutes into the second half, and it will be the easiest goal she'll ever score. Megan Prigge sent the ball into the Mount Mary box into the path of Chelsea Graham, who slid a shot under the goalkeeper that bounced off the post and rolled precariously along the goal line. Morrison followed up the rebound and tapped it in from no range at all to grab her second goal of the game and the Sabercats' third. Easy work.

KATELYN DOES NOT MISS FROM THERE pic.twitter.com/qlZXntRJUG

— Maranatha Athletics (@MBUSabercats) September 29, 2022

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Hassenplug then got her second just a few minutes later, driving a shot from 25 yards that flew over the goalkeeper's head. The Sabercats couldn't be stopped, and they had no intention of slowing their progress.

Dargy was up next, as she added the fifth and final goal of the afternoon. After Graham tackled a Mount Mary defender on the top of the box, the ball fell free to Dargy who snuck her shot just out of the keeper's reach and into the right corner from inside the box.

Get in, Faith!! �� pic.twitter.com/KmXelrjSKt

— Maranatha Athletics (@MBUSabercats) September 29, 2022

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The win was a few weeks in the works for Maranatha, who saw their persistence pay off in a celebratory first win of the season.

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Maranatha Starters: 0- Willette, 2- Habegger, 3- Morrison, 5- Graham, 7- Garren, 8- Bishop (C), 10- Hoffmann, 16- Hassenplug (C), 17- Prigge, 20- Herrera, 21- Secor

STATS

• Hassenplug: first career brace
• Morrison: first career goals
• Dargy: first career goals
• Graham: first career assists
• Habegger: first career assists
• Prigge: first career assists
• Last time: Maranatha defeated Mount Mary 2-0 on October 19, 2021
• Series: Maranatha leads the all-time series against Mount Mary 24-3

OPPONENTS

• Mount Mary competes in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference
• Mount Mary finished the 2021 season with a 0-15-1 record
• Mount Mary did not qualify for their conference tournament

NEXT

The Sabercats stay in Watertown where they will take on Finlandia University on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Follow along at mbusabercats.com/schedule.