TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's soccer team defeated Oklahoma Christian 4-0 Sunday afternoon at DeLoache Field.
 
The RiverHawks improved to 2-0 on the young season, while not allowing a shot on goal to the Eagles (0-1-1).
 
NSU opened the scoring in the 21st minute when sophomore forward Anastasia Robinson ran onto a long pass from senior defender Emily Burch that cleared the OCU backline. Robinson calmly finished to put the RiverHawks on top early.
 
The second goal came just two minutes into the second half when senior midfielder McKenzie Musella scored directly off a corner kick. The keeper mishandled the cross and knocked it into her own net.  
 
Junior midfielder Jennifer Cudjoe added her first goal in the 51st minute, and junior defender Rachel Gleason completed the scoring with a 30-yard strike in the 84th minute.
 
Both Gleason and Musella potted their fifth-career goals and their first markers of the season.
 
Junior goalkeeper Jordan Woodruff (2-0) increased her school record with her 25th career victory. She also added to her own school record with her 15th career clean sheet.
 
Northeastern State held a 21-2 shot advantage and led 5-1 in corner kicks.
 
NSU has already scored 11 goals through the first two matches, and the team has had nine different goal scorers. The backline has conceded just five shots total this year, and none have been on frame.
 
The RiverHawks will now hit the road for the first time this year when they take on Ouachita Baptist at 4 p.m. Sept. 8 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
 
Scoring Summary
OCU                 0          0          –          0
NSU                 1          3          –          4
 
Individual Scoring
Anastasia Robinson (NSU) at 20:01 (Emily Burch)
McKenzie Musella (NSU) at 46:47 (unassisted)
Jennifer Cudjoe (NSU) at 50:24 (Anastasia Robinson)
Rachel Gleason (NSU) at 83:29 (unassisted)
 
Goalkeeper Saves
Carina Schanz (OCU) – 10
Jordan Woodruff (NSU) – 0
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE COACH CHASE WOOTEN
On not allowing a shot on goal in the first two matches…
"I do think our defenders are good, but I don't know if this was our best game defensively. I think there's some people working really hard in front of them. Our forwards put it in the work up front to help make sure we don't give up shots. They do a nice job and they're good ball winners. My frustration today is that we would win a ball and then give it right back. I'd like to see that improve because normally that's not our MO. Today I thought, especially in the first half when balls were being played into the backline, we were coughing balls up and we're better footballers than that. In general we play well and we play as a group well. We're still finding out the best system for the best personnel. I think we're getting closer. It takes all 10 people in front of Jordan (Woodruff) to create that effort.

On how the team looked over the whole weekend:
"At times we're not bad, and at other times we've got so far to go. I don't know if this is a litmus test to see how we're going to do in conference yet. We're at a point where there's windows of the second half against Northwestern where we looked really good, really polished. Our runs to goal were really good. Then there's the first 45 minutes of that game where you're wondering where the Northeastern State team was. In this game I thought it was the same kind of deal, we were a little more complete, but we still had spells where we were in the trough of our play and we want to try to be at our peak for longer spells than we put out today."
 
On the team's balanced scoring:
"I think we do have, especially on the attacking side, the ability to put some fresh legs in by design, especially with these temperatures. We're subbing kids in the first half who don't have to be subbed right then but we're trying to set the table for the second-half attack. It creates opportunities for other people who are great players. We've been big all season about not getting wound up about who's starting and who's not, and to be wound up about the result. We're getting kids who step on the field and make us better and it's not every year you get that. We have some injuries in the backline that impact us but if we can stay healthy we've got some good reserves who can step on the field and who could just as easily be starters. They're really causing some big wrinkles for other teams."
 
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