MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Records fell at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium this afternoon, as the No. 11/12 West Virginia University women’s soccer team rolled past Villanova for an 8-0 win, its fourth straight shutout victory.

 

“It was very important for us today to protect the win from Friday night,” Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. “I’m fortunate because I get to watch this team train every day. These goals aren’t surprising to me, but the game of soccer can be very brutal at times. You never know. This team has really worked hard and played smart, and they found a way to put the ball in the back of the net early. It was fantastic.”

 

Sophomore forward Michaela Abam was nearly unstoppable, tallying two goals each half for a program-record four scores. The Houston native finished with eight points, also a program single-game record.

 

“I’m really proud of Michaela,” Izzo-Brown added. “She has transformed her game. She worked really hard this summer to do the types of things she did today. I’m really proud of her, and all the credit goes to her.”

 

Abam was not the only Mountaineer to set a record today, as senior forward Kailey Utley assisted on four goals, a WVU single-game best. Both Mountaineers moved into double-digit season point totals, with Utley showing 11 (3 G, 5 A) and Abam sitting at 10 (5 G).

 

The Mountaineers’ eight goals match a program record hit twice before in wins over Syracuse (8-0, Sept. 28, 2008) and St. Bonaventure (8-0, Sept. 10, 2006) in Morgantown. WVU’s 24 points match the program record, also set in the win against St. Bonaventure, while the squad’s eight assists rank No. 2 in program history.

 

Sophomore forward Kayla Saager matched Utley’s four points with two late goals, her first scores in a Mountaineer uniform. Freshman forward Nia Gordon and junior midfielder Ashley Lawrence also tallied scores, while senior defender Maggie Bedillion chipped in two assists.

 

The WVU (5-1) defense was just as strong today, limiting the Wildcats (0-5) to three shots, two in the second half, and only one shot on-goal. The shutout is the team’s fifth of the season. The Mountaineers have not relinquished a score in 388:21 consecutive minutes of action.

 

Senior goalkeeper Hannah Steadman earned the win today but not the shutout, as she split time in net with sophomore Michelle Newhouse. Newhouse is credited with the squad’s lone save, denying Kayla Hughes’ shot from outside the box in the 28th minute. The save was her first of the season.

 

VU’s Emma Meyer played the first half and finished with five saves. Emily Harris played the second half and made one save while allowing three goals.

 

Gordon tallied her third score of the season 83 seconds into the match, making a move on two VU defenders inside the box after receiving the ball from Utley and easily beating Meyer to the right post. The score was the fourth-fastest goal in Mountaineer history.

 

Lawrence was in the right spot at the right time for her second goal of the season, taking advantage of Meyer’s miscue and scoring from 12-yards out. After making the initial diving save on a shot from Utley, Meyer was unable to recover in time to defend Lawrence’s clean look.   

 

Abam tallied her first goal of the match 79 seconds later, displaying incredible athleticsm and strength on a blast from 25-yards out that beat Meyer to the far right post. She extended the score to 4-0 with her second goal in the 18th minute, heading a cross in front of the net to the upper right corner.

 

Abam and Bedillion connected again in similar fashion 45 seconds into the second half, with Abam receiving a service from Bedillion near the penalty-kick line and placing her low shot toward the near left post.  

 

Two Mountaineer records were set in the 50th minute, as Abam and Utley connected again for their fourth goal and fourth assist, respectively. Utley, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, sent the ball into Abam, and she took a shot from just inside the 18-yard box that beat Harris to the right corner.

 

“Scoring four goals in a game wasn’t a personal goal of mine, but I’m glad that it happened,” said Abam. “I’m proud to have set the school record. I think we played today with the same resiliency we showed Friday night against Penn State. I’m happy that we were able to come out and score eight today. It’s big to get these goals before we start conference play.”

 

Saager tallied back-to-back goals in the final 10 minutes. She scored her first career WVU goal in the 84th minute, connecting on a cross from Heather Kaleiohi inside the 18-yard box. She pushed the team’s goal total to a program-best eight nearly two minutes later. Junior forward Aaran Parry chipped the ball to a streaking Saager, and she beat a diving Harris to the far right post.

 

Abam finished with a game-high five shots, all on-goal. Utley, Kaleiohio and Saager each tallied three shots.

 

WVU finished with a 7-4 edge in corner kicks.

 

The Mountaineers return to the road this Friday, traveling to Columbus, Ohio for a 7 p.m. match at Ohio State.

 

WVU returns to Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 13, for a contest against Longwood, with first kick scheduled for 1 p.m. The team will host a postgame clinic for kids 13 and under at Dreamswork Field. It also is “Camper Reunion Day,” with free admission for those who wear their 2015 camp t-shirt. Additionally, kids under 13 who bring a completed Musket Coloring Sheet to the DDSS gate will receive one free youth admission and will be entered into a drawing to win a plush Musket toy. The coloring sheet will be available at WVUsports.com.