Box Score Bluffton, Ohio – Using a balanced peppering of offense throughout the day, the Transylvania women's soccer team collected its fourth conference win of the season with a 5-0 win against Bluffton on Saturday at the Sears Complex.
Taking on a Bluffton team which was winless in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play, the Pioneers endured a scoreless match before a 23rd-minute goal from freshman striker Quinn May on a setup from fellow freshman striker Ashley Chindo provided the go-ahead goal that galvanized their offense for the rest of the afternoon.
Following the opening goal, the Pioneers scored twice more in the first half and added another pair of goals in the second half to move to 4-2-1 in the HCAC table and 11-4-2 for the season. Bluffton dropped to 0-7 in HCAC play and 1-13-1 overall.
The Pioneers doubled their lead in the 30th minute when freshman Annie Stauffer played a ball from the left side to senior midfielder Noel Obata, who accelerated past a group of defenders before finishing off the goal.
Transylvania seized further control of the match in the 39th minute when Chindo made a key defensive play on the right side upfield and dispossessed a Bluffton defender. The freshman then fired a hard shot that glanced off the hands of the Bluffton goalkeeper and continued on into the net for a 3-0 Transylvania lead.
The Pioneers continued their consistency in the second half as freshman Bailey Wood scored on an assist from freshman Tori Nordin, placing the Pioneers ahead 4-0. A final score came in the 64th minute as Nordin and Wood found their second connection of the half and delivered again for the 5-0 final.
Senior goalkeeper Ally Barfield picked up the win for the Pioneers, improving her record to 6-0 on a five-save afternoon in better than 75 minutes in goal. The Pioneers outshot Bluffton 33 to 6 on the afternoon, further illustrating their offensive might.
Transylvania will wrap up its regular season schedule with two home matches next week; the Pioneers next play on Wednesday, October 24 as they host Franklin College at Pat Deacon Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky at 7:00 p.m. The matchup will feature two of the top five teams in the HCAC as teams jostle for potential playoff positioning in the regular season's home stretch.
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