The EMU soccer women scored three goals in the first half and they rolled out to a 4-1 road win over surprising Sweet Briar College.  At 2-3 in league play, the Royals move into a three-way tie for seventh place in the ODAC standings.

Sweet Briar has been one of the feel-good stories in the ODAC over the first half of the season, entering today's game with a record of 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the conference.  The Vixen are already having one of their best seasons in history.  But Eastern Mennonite scored quickly Saturday afternoon.

Just 2:18 into the game, Morgan Hill (Martinsville, Va./Carlisle) lofted a corner kick which the Vixen ended up accidently knocking into their own goal for a 1-0 EMU lead.  In the 20th minute they struck again.  Freshman Marcy Smucker (Woodward, Pa./Penns Valley) stuck in a cross from classmate Amanda Williams (Millsboro, De./Delmarva Christian) for her first career goal.  Williams then got her own tally in the 29th minute, speeding up on a breakaway and getting past the SBC keeper to make it 3-0.

The second half seemed to favor to the host Vixen, who finally cracked the scoring column on an own goal in the 84th minute.  But Sara Shenk Moreno (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) helped put down any thoughts of a late comeback when she rebuilt the three-goal differential by scoring after a corner in the 89th minute.

The Royals finished with a 13-10 shot advantage, including 7-5 on goal.  Brianna Stanard (Spotsylvania, Va./Spotsylvania) made four saves as she earned her first career win in the net.

EMU, 4-6-1 overall, heads to Shenandoah for their next game, playing in Winchester Tuesday night at 7:00pm.