ANGOLA, Ind. –
Julia Benham recorded the first four goal game in 23 years this afternoon to lead the Trine University women's soccer team to a 6-0 win over The University of Olivet. Trine (7-6-4, 4-3-1 MIAA) clinches a home MIAA Tournament game with the win. Olivet completes its season at 1-14-1 (0-8-0 MIAA).
Benham's four goals are the most in a single game since Nicki Stringham scored a quartet in 2003, and the most in Trine's NCAA-era. Three women are tied atop the record book with five goals in a single game. Benham's eight points are tied for the most in a single game with Taylor Noll who completed the feat on September 15, 2020. The Thunder's 35 shots and six goals are the third most in a single game.
Trine held a 35-0 advantage in shots, 18-0 edge in shots on goal, and an 11-0 advantage in corner kicks.
The Thunder peppered the Comets with shots for the entire 90 minutes, the first coming just 44 seconds into the game. The Thunder struck in the 15
th minute off the right foot of
Erin Scully. Scully's shot came from the near corner of the penalty box to the top corner of the far side of the goal. Scully assisted on the next goal that came via
Ava Leihgeber who fired her shot as a mirror image of Scully's.
Up 2-0, Benham would find the net for the first time with a long arching shot from well outside the penalty box to the top center of the goal. Benham scored her second in the 50
th minute off of a free kick to push the lead to 4-0. She completed the hat trick with her most impressive goal, the third strike came from beyond the penalty box once again this time banking in off of the cross bar. The final goal came from even further in the 82
nd minute to provide the final margin.
The Thunder will host Albion College on Saturday evening at Shive Field at 7:00 p.m., more information regarding the MIAA Tournament will be published tomorrow.
