X-Women improve to 4-0 on season with shutout win over Huskies

Antigonish, NS – The U SPORTS No. 10 ranked STFX X-Women picked up their second win of the weekend with a 6-0 victory over the Saint Mary's Huskies on a sunny Sunday afternoon at STFX Stadium.

With the win the X-Women improve to 4-0 on the season and sit in sole possession of first place in the AUS standings. The Huskies drop to 0-2.

The X-Women opened the scoring early in the game with goals in the 5^th and 14^th minutes from veterans Amanda Smith (Ottawa, ON) and Caitlin Crichton (Ottawa, ON). Smith took a pass from Cheyenne Bower (London, ON), juggled through a pair of SMU defenders and delivered a low shot that beat SMU keeper Grace Morrison (Halifax, NS). Crichton followed with a nice header to the back of the Huskies net off a Bower corner kick.

STFX continued the offensive pressure as Morrison came up big with a point blank save off a Smith shot in tight, then freshman X midfielder Ava Elgood (Ottawa, ON) made good a minute later, scoring STFX's third goal on a soft header in close after Meghan Cole (Moncton, NB) fed a crossed ball.

Smith's second goal of the game came in the 27^th minute on a tic-tac-toe play off one touches from teammates Aidan Miller (Chilliwack, BC), Elgood, and Bower as she redirected another low shot past Morrison to give the home squad a commanding 4-0 first half lead.

Saint Mary's best chance of the half came in the 35^th minute when Cara Freeman (Halifax, NS) got a foot on a long pass from Molly McLeod (Kamloops, BC) but the ball trickled just wide of the STFX net.

The X-Women outshot the Huskies 11-5 in the opening half and took the 4-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Saint Mary's forward Allie Martin (Halifax, NS) had a great rush two minutes into the second half but freshman STFX goalkeeper Hailey Jones (Ottawa, ON) played the aggressive and came out on the challenge to steer the ball away before she could get a shot off.

Cole played a strong game in the STFX midfield. She fed consecutive balls through to Miller and Smith early in the second half, forcing Morrison to come up with several big saves off X shots in close.

The X-Women's fifth goal came from Miller in the 56^th minute as she intercepted a pass between SMU defenders and broke in alone on Morrison, beating her with a low shot.

Smith and Miller almost connected minutes later but Morrison had another key save for Saint Mary's.  

Second half sub Lauren Reid (Kanata, ON) made good on a through ball from Brynn Jurus (Ancaster, ON) in the 75^th minute to score STFX's sixth and final goal. The blue and white almost made it seven as Cole rang one off the cross bar late in the half.

Final shots in the game were 24-8 in favor of the X-Women as Jones earned her first career win in the STFX net, taking home the shutout.

Forward Brynn Jurus earned player of the game honours for STFX, while Huskies forward Erin Freeman (Halifax, NS) received the same accolade for her squad.

Next on the AUS schedule sees the Huskies travelling to Newfoundland for a pair of games against the Memorial Sea-Hawks on September 16^th and 17^th. The X-Women will travel to Sackville, N.B. on Friday, September 15^th to take on the Mount Allison Mounties in a 5:00 pm game.    

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Recap courtesy Krista McKenna, STFX Athletics