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Sophomore midfielder Sam Searcey taps in Washburn’s second goal before Harding University can clear the ball. She was assisted by freshman forward Kate Hinck and doubled Washburn’s lead in the 28th minute.
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Hinck finds the bottom corner and puts Washburn University ahead early. She scored her first career goal as an Ichabod in the seventh minute of the match.
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The Ichabods control the tempo as they chase additional opportunities in the second half. Washburn took 5 more shots and forced 1 additional save from Harding.
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Underclassmen lead Washburn’s scoring charge for the season. All 6 goals this year were scored by freshmen or sophomores up to this game.
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Midfielders create openings and spark scoring chances throughout the game. Washburn built offensive momentum with 13 total shots during the game.
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Coach and players gather in a huddle to plan tactical adjustments for the second half. They discussed new strategies and key matchups during halftime, aiming to improve the team’s performance.
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Junior defender Rilyn Synder coordinates her movements and passes the ball to advance play. Players maintained communication and executed planned plays during the match.
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Washburn maintains possession and applies pressure against Harding in the first half. The Ichabods attempted 8 shots and landed 4 on goal before halftime.
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Senior midfielder Belle Kennedy closely marks and monitors her opponent to limit their influence on the game. Kennedy maintained discipline in tracking the opponent’s movements to prevent scoring opportunities or effective passes.
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Freshman goalkeeper Lili Everley makes a crucial save to keep Harding off the scoreboard. She stopped the Lady Bison’s only shot of the opening half.
Washburn soccer secured a 2–0 win over Harding University Sept. 19, dominating both ends of the field. Freshman forward Kate Hinck opened the scoring in the sixth minute off an assist from sophomore midfielder Sam Searcey. Searcey added the second goal in the 27th minute.
The Ichabods took 8 shots in the first half, with four being on target, while Harding managed one. Freshman goalkeeper Lili Everley made 1 save to protect the shutout. In the second half, Washburn added 5 more shots and 2 corner kicks, closing out the match without allowing another attempt.
Head coach Davy Phillips credited the team’s adherence to the game model.
“There’s been a couple games we’ve gotten away from the game model, and we just get caught playing soccer in this big, wide-open game,” Phillips said. “But when we can implement and execute the game model, we’re going to be a handful. And like I said, the ladies did a really good job of doing that tonight.”
Senior defender Shaye Taylor pointed to the defensive effort creating offense.
“Our game model is to stay tight on defense, force the ball out, win those tackles and then go forward,” Taylor said.
Later, reflecting on the outcome, Taylor said she loves watching the team come together and watch their defensive work have an outcome of a goal.
Hinck pointed to team chemistry as the key difference between this match and earlier games this season.
“Last game we weren’t really working as a team, more individually,” Hinck said. “This game we were finally making those connections and it showed.”
Looking ahead, both players and coaches emphasized consistency.
“When we stay mentally tough and keep doing what we practice, we see the results,” Taylor said.
Phillips added that sustaining pressure and maintaining discipline in the game model will be vital moving forward.
Washburn now turns its attention to conference play, aiming to build on this win and maintain the momentum for a strong push toward the MIAA tournament.
Edited by Anson Appelhanz and Jeremy Ford
