ANGOLA, Ind. – The first event of the 2026-27 season is in the books for the Trine University athletic department. The Trine women's soccer team emerged victorious in a 3-2 decision over Hanover College. Trine (1-0-0) saw three different players score goals in the win over the Panthers (0-1-0).
Trine wasted no time opening the scoring as
Ava Leihgeber sent the first goal home in the fourth minute with a high arching shot from just inside midfield. Trine dominated both possession and the pace of play for most of the first half, earning seven corner opportunities. The eighth corner found
Kyra Graham who worked the ball out of a congested goal box and reversed field to find
Reagan Vokal who netted her first career goal in similar fashion to Leihgeber. The Thunder defense was suffocating at times and ultimately limited the Panthers to just two shots in the first half.
The Thunder struck quickly in the second half as well.
Maggie McDowell shook off a defender outside the goal box and her shot beat the diving Panther keeper to the near post for Trine's third goal. Hanover started to find a few opportunities in the middle of the second half, a corner in the 69
th minute appeared to have been saved by the Thunder keeper but was ruled a goal as she caught the ball inside the goal. Hanover inched closer in the 83
rd minute with a second goal but Trine held off the comeback over the final seven minutes.
Johannah Houtkooper made five saves in goal for Trine.
Trine travels to Dubuque, Iowa on Saturday for a match up with Loras College at 1 p.m.
