LEBANON, Tenn.--10th-ranked Cumberland Women's Soccer opens up the year on a high defeating Baker University 8-0 at Lindsey Donnell Stadium on Saturday.
Cumberland opened up their campaign scoring eight goals showing no slow down from last season with three goals in the first half and five in the second half.
Seika Ikezoe and
Uxia Varela each had a big Cumberland debut scoring two goals a piece while Varela added an assist.
Ao Yamada,
Gabby Jones,
Emelly Chicas, and
Taylor Bertotti each scored a goal apiece.
Cumberland controlled the pace of the game early on, but were unable to break through until
Gabby Jones punched in the first goal in the 30th minute with a great assist across the middle from
Emelly Chicas. The goal sparked a three goal spurt within five minutes as Varela found the net three minutes later with a great assist in the corner by
Ao Yamada. Ikezoe scored two minutes after that for a 3-0 lead at the break.
The Phoenix continued firing on all cylinders in the second half.
Emelly Chicas scored her first goal in a Phoenix uniform in the 59th minute with a header assisted by
Ella Tuplin who laid it out on a silver platter for the perfect assist. Ikezoe dribbled past the center back and sliced it into the right side of the goal in the 72nd minute on a well placed ball from
Zoe Collyer. Two minutes later,
Ao Yamada scored her first goal in 2024 on a free kick just on the edge of the box after missing all of last season with an injury. In the 80th minute,
Taylor Bertotti found a goal that was assisted by
Gabby Jones who also had a phenomenal game. Varela capped the performance with her second goal of the match in the 82nd minute securing her brace, alongside Ikezoe for their Cumberland Phoenix debut.
Junior transfer
Hannah Thornell got the start as the Cumberland keeper. Thornell did not have much to do in net as the Phoenix maintained possession of the ball for majority of the match. She faced two shots making two saves. Baker keeper Taylor Evans made 15 saves as the Phoenix fired 33 shots with 23 them being on goal.
Cumberland will have a week to prepare for their next match. CU will travel to Elizabethtown, Kentucky next Saturday.
