Green Knights Get Hot Start to Rout Lawrence

From Sports Information Director, October 7, 2015 | Women's Soccer
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College bounced back from a tough road loss with a strong performance, posting a 6-1 win over Lawrence University in a Midwest Conference match at Schneider Stadium.

The Green Knights (7-4, 4-1 MWC) scored just 1 minute 30 seconds into the game when Katie Vanden Avond beat two defenders after a pass from Nicole Beine. The Vikings (6-6, 1-3) answered just 42 seconds later on a breakaway goal by Casey Merkle.

St. Norbert kept the offensive pressure on, taking a 4-1 lead by the 27th minute. Vanden Avond scored three consecutive goals during the run. Aimee Conley's corner kick went through the box and found Vanden Avond for a finish at 10:56. Monica Stephans then fed Vanden Avond with a back-heel pass to set up the next goal at 15:15. Vanden Avond then scored her fourth goal of the match at 26:49 when a loose ball pinballed around in front of the net and found her foot to the open net.

The four goals matched Vanden Avond's career high, marking the fifth time this season she has reached that total and the ninth time in her career. Vanden Avond now has 116 career goals to move into fourth place in NCAA Division III history. She is nine short of surpassing the Division III record of 124 set by Luther College's Katie Pettigrew from 2001 to 2004.

St. Norbert scored twice in the final 10 minutes of the match. Greta Arshem scored on the receiving end of a give-and-go from Dana Schwab at 80:13. Arshem returned the favor, setting up Schwab on a similar play at 85:05.

St. Norbert outshot Lawrence 19-8. Maddie Plinska made five saves for the Green Knights, while Patsy Kealey made four stops for the Vikings.