The Bloomsburg University Women’s Soccer team continues its success this season as they bring their eight- game win streak to nine with their win over Pitt-Johnstown in a dominating 5-0 defeat of the Mountain Cats.
The Huskies are now ranked tenth in the latest United Soccer Coaches Division II national poll release on Tuesday afternoon. When the team cracked the top-25 a few weeks back, it was the first time the Huskies have been nationally ranked since the 2010 season eight years ago.
Bloomsburg has now also moved up to the single spot of first place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference standings with their recent victory and the loss of Kutztown at Seton Hill.
2018 has been a historic year for the Huskies, as an eight game win streak has been the longest in program history since an unbeaten streak of nine games from September 26th to October 24th in 1998. The current nine-game streak has been the longest since a ten game unbeaten series since September 1st to October 6th in 2001.
The onslaught on the Mountain Cat scoreboard began when sophomore Natalie Holmes captured a loose ball and scored an early goal after only 9:37 minutes of play. This would become the fourth goal she has scored on the season.
Junior Jessica Milligan would then extend the lead to 2-0 after scoring her first goal this season. Milligan was sharply able to take advantage of a corner kick by sophomore Lauren Hoelke, and score a header to make it the second of her career.
The second half would prove to be even more troublesome for Pitt-Johnstown as the Huskies tacked on three more unanswered goals. A goal from Hoelke came in the game’s 64th to expand the lead 3-0. Her second of the season, Hoelke capitalized off a pass from freshman Nicole Varano.
Senior Taylor Sneidman also had a piece of the action when she utilized a free kick off Hoelke to fire a header for yet another Husky goal in the 74th minute. The scoring would finally reach its apex after the final goal was made by sophomore Sam Rodkey. A corner kick by Hoelke gave Rodkey the chance to head the last shot into the Mountain Cat goal.
On the defensive end, the redshirt sophomore Husky goalkeeper Jenna Hawkins had yet another fantastic game. Making two saves during the game, this tenth shutout solidifies her position as PSAC leader in shutouts. These 10 shutouts are the highest in program history for a single season second only to Heather Hartman, Hartman still holds the record with her 12 in the 2001 season.
In shot opportunities, the Huskies maintained quite a substantial lead overshooting the Mountain Cats 30-5. Pitt-Johnstown was absolutely decimated in corner shots, taking none to Bloomsburg’s five. The five-goal win would become the season-high for the Huskies and the shutout marks the fourth consecutive and even more impressively, eighth in the last nine games.
The Huskies then traveld to Kutztown University to face-off against the #12 ranks Golden Bears on Wednesday afternoon.
The Huskies and the Golden Bears went exactly the way people thought it would as both teams went scoreless for all of regulation and both overtime periods, resulting in a 0-0 draw.
The Huskies did not continue or break their winning streak, but what they did continue is their streak without losing.
After last nights tie, the Huskies last loss comes from a 2-0 defeat back on September 15 to Gannon University.
What the scoreless draw did do was add on to Hawkins total shutouts in 2018, which is now 11. Hawkins needs just one more shutout to tie the record of 12 that was set back in the 2001 season.
The Huskies conclude their regular season when they welcome PSAC foe Edinboro University to Steph Pettit Stadium on October 27.
The annual PSAC tournament begins October 30.