SENATOBIA - Highlighted by a pair of goals from sophomore
Ally Bailey, Northwest used a strong offensive performance to earn a 5-2 victory against Southwest Tennessee on Friday afternoon.
Northwest dominated the tempo for most of the match, outshooting Southwest Tennessee 39-5 in total shots and 22-5 on goal, as the Lady Rangers moved to 4-0 on the young season.
It didn't take long for the Lady Rangers to get on the scoreboard, as
Melinda Hernandez dished in her third goal of the season less than three minutes into the match. Less than five minutes later, M.J. Loeffel followed up with another score off an assist from Bailey, stretching the lead to 2-0.
After a mostly silent 15-minute span, Bailey got the Northwest offense going once more with her third goal of the season in the 23rd minute, pushing the Lady Rangers' advantage to 3-0.
Although Northwest took the large lead in the first half, Southwest Tennessee didn't back down, as Theona Whitmore punched in a goal for the Lady Saluqis in the 27th minute, sending the Lady Rangers to halftime with the 3-1 lead.
Lauren Hebert put the Lady Rangers on their toes early in the second half, as the Manassas, Va. native brought Southwest Tennessee within one at the 50-minute mark. Despite the quick goal, Northwest still managed to keep the Lady Saluqis from taking many shots as the second half progressed.
In the 68th minute,
Hayley White broke the Lady Rangers' scoring silence, as the Southaven native scored off a rebound from a previous shot attempt from
Jennifer Enriquez. Bailey put the match away roughly 10 minutes later off an assist from Enriquez, earning her third goal of the season and the 16th of her career, tying her for eighth all-time with Lindsey Matthews (2004-05).
Northwest accounted for 15 corner kicks on the day, while Southwest Tennessee took no corner attempts. Freshman goalkeeper
Addy McCann earned three saves to notch her first career victory, while Emily Harper hauled in 17 saves for the Lady Saluqis.
With the win in place, the Lady Rangers now set their sights on a Labor Day showdown with St. Charles Community College (Mo.). The two teams have played three times dating back to 2013, with the Lady Cougars holding a 3-0 series record.
Kickoff from the Senatobia Sports Park will begin at 1 P.M., with broadcast and stats links available at nwccrangers.com.
