ARKADELPHIA- It was smooth sailing for Ouachita Baptist on Sunday, as the Lady Tigers came up with a 5-0 shutout victory over Delta State in Arkadelphia. The victory marked the second-straight shutout of the Lady Statemens in 2010.
Ouachita (6-6-1) scored a pair of goals in first half, while adding three in the second. The Lady Tigers were led by a hat trick of three goals from sophomore Jessica Allen, which were all in the second half. Delta State (3-9-1) couldn’t find an answer for the Sparks, Nevada native, as Ouachita shut out the Lady Statemens with a combined 7-0 score on the season, after blanking Delta State 2-0 in a Gulf South Conference meeting on Sept. 24 in Cleveland, Miss.
Ouachita sophomore Taylor Gay (Little Rock) put the Lady Tigers on the board first with a goal at the 6:17 mark, as junior Beth Wendl assisted on the play. It wouldn’t take long for sophomore teammate Mary Whisenhunt (Little Rock) to answer, scoring six minutes later on a free kick from the left side to give Ouachita a 2-0 lead at 12:54 in the first half.
In the second half, it was the Jessica Allen show, as the sophomore began the scoring attack in the 59 minute off an assist from junior Miranda Lytle. Moments later, Allen answered again on the attack with a header at 60:56, as freshman Morgan Pitchford provided the assist.
The third and final score from Allen came at 70:35 on a header that put Ouachita up 5-0 to close out the scoring. The header was set up perfectly when Whisenhunt provided a brilliant crossing pass that landed in perfect placement to complete the hat trick. On the season, Allen has seven goals and two assists for Ouachita.
What shouldn’t be overshadowed was the third shutout of the season for Ouachita senior keeper Whitley Hoppe, as the Montgomery, Texas native recorded a save in 90 minutes of action.
Overall, Ouachita led in shots, 13-1, in a match that steadily kept the Lady Tigers on the offensive attack.
Ouachita returns to action on Tuesday, Oct. 12 against Northeastern Oklahoma State in Tahlequah, Okla. at 1 p.m.