Freshman McKenna Welsh records her first career Hat Trick to lead Women's Soccer to 6-0 victory at Muskingum

By Tim Glon

NEW CONCORD -- Freshman McKenna Welsh registered her first career hat trick in the first 19 minutes of play, leading the Ohio Northern women's soccer team to a 6-0 victory at Muskingum in a steady rain Saturday night at McConagha Stadium.

The Polar Bears improve to 10-6-1 overall and are 6-1-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, while the Muskies fall to 2-13-1, 1-6-0.

Northern tied a school record by clinching its 12th consecutive winning season, all under 12th-year head coach Mark Batman. The streak matched the 12 consecutive winning campaigns from 1990-2001 under head coaches Joe Campoli, Jeff Coleman and Annette Hunt-Shepherd.

Welsh got Ohio Northern on the board just 2:30 into the match off an assist from junior Michaela Gutierrez.

Junior Shelby Stephens made it 2-0 just 1:08 later off an assist from junior Missy Ward.

Welsh made it 3-0 with a breakaway goal off an assist from sophomore Mary Kate Munz with 11:18 gone in the match.

Welsh completed the hat trick with a goal at the 18:57 mark of the first half, off an assist from Stephens, and it was 4-0 Polar Bears.

Freshman Sarah Puntel picked up a free ball and blasted one into the goal from 25 yards out to make it 5-0 in the 40th minute.

Munz took a beautiful through ball from Puntel and scored from 15 yards out with 2:30 left in the half to make it 6-0.

Neither team scored in the second half.

Ohio Northern out-shot Muskingum 33-7.

The Polar Bears will return to action Tuesday night at Baldwin Wallace.