KENOSHA, Wis. — McKendree University built a 5-0 lead with 6:29 left in the second quarter and never looked back in upending host Carthage College, 17-5, on the Firebirds’ Senior Day.
The Bearcats wasted little time in putting the contest out of Carthage’s reach as Jasmine Guzman (6:26), Joey Rebelo (5:12), Jazmin Sandoval (1:45) and Allie Diller (one second) put away first quarter shots prior to Rebelo (6:29) tacking on her second of the contest with 6:29 left until halftime for a commanding 5-0 margin.
Victoria Hodges snapped the Bearcats’ scoring streak by swishing a man-up opportunity for Carthage with 6:16 remaining in the second quarter, but Diller (5:30, man-up) and Rebelo (4:42) answered for McKendree to widen the gap to 7-1.
Hodges delivered a response for the Firebirds with 3:37 on the clock by burning the Bearcats’ defense with her second power-play strike of the first half to move Carthage within 7-2 heading into halftime.
Delaney Hall returned McKendree’s lead to six goals by notching a marker 25 seconds into the third quarter (7:35), but Yamila Areizaga hammered home the Firebirds’ third man-up tally of the contest 31 seconds later (7:04) to inch Carthage back to within five at 8-3.
Shanelle Marquez (6:44), Areeizaga (3:45), Guzman (2:44) and Grace Steinberg (1:10, man-up) exchanged scoring blows as the margin went from 9-3, 9-4, 10-4 and 10-5 prior to Rebelo lining in a penalty shot (55 seconds) and Sarah Velazco (16 seconds) flushing a shot to make it an 12-5 game after 24 minutes.
The Bearcats bared their claws in the fourth quarter as Rebelo (4:32), Velazco (2:59), Emma Dore (2:02), Sandoval (1:23, man-up) and Diller (35 seconds, man-up) combined to cap off a 7-0 run that extended from the 55 seconds mark of the thirq quarter until the concluding horn.
For McKendree, Rebelo led the way with five goals and four assists, while Diller chipped in three goals. Guzman (two goals, two assists), Velazco (two goals), Sandoval (two goals), Dore (one goal, four assists), Marquez (one goal, three assists), Hall (one goal) and Dylan Murphy (two assists) also factored in the offense to support a one save effort by netmidner Sydney Kane.
Areizaga (two goals, two assists), Hodges (two goals), Steinberg (one goal, two assists), Alyssa Sayatovic (one assist) and Brenna Carstens (one assist) accounted for Carthage’s scoring to aid the cause of goalkeeper Ella Selman who faced 32 shots.
