Women’s Soccer Shuts Out WJC for Weekend Sweep; Ayran, Cormier Tally Firsts

LEBANON, Ill. | Leemon Field – McKendree University women’s soccer (2-0-4, 2-0-1 GLVC) dominated its Sunday matchup, 5-0, over the William Jewell Cardinals to capture six points and sweep its weekend homestand. The Bearcats were led by five individual scorers, including two career-first goals by freshman midfielder Alina Ayran and junior defender Zoe Cormier, while junior goalkeeper Peyton Baker collected a clean sheet with her full-time performance in net. McKendree hits the road for its next weekend of Great Lakes Valley Conference play with bouts at Southwest Baptist on September 26 and at Drury on September 28. 

The Bearcats took less than two minutes to capitalize on an attack with a freshman midfielder Alina Ayran collecting a ball on the edge of the 18 yard box and blasting a shot past the Jewell keeper for the eventual game-winner. McKendree continued to dominate the first half, firing eight shots while earning seven corners over the first 45 minutes, with an insurance score coming in the closing minutes of the half as junior forward Ella Post served a corner into the box, which was connected on by junior defender Zoe Cormier. The first half goals by Ayran and Cormier marked career-first scores for the midfielder and defender. The Bearcats held their 2-0 lead at the intermission.

In the second half, the Bearcats did not give the Cardinals any room to breathe as they put up three more scores over the 45 minute period. In the 61st minute, junior midfielder Maggie Gleckler fired her third goal of the season with a long shot finding the back of the net to make it 3-0 for McKendree. The next goal build up moved quickly as the Bearcats made it a 4-0 contest in the 68th with junior forward Aubrey Andrews scoring off the dish-out by Post, her second of the day. The final goal of the contest came from senior forward Karin Tebelius, who fired her first of the year on an assist by Post, once again.

In goal, Baker recorded her first shutout of the campaign, grabbing three saves in the process while helping the Bearcats stay unbeaten.