Eureka Shuts Out Defiance 6-0 for First Win
EUREKA – Madison Shines (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) put away four goals and the Eureka women's soccer team shut out Defiance in a 6-0 victory at McKinzie Field on Sunday.
The win was Eureka's first non-conference win over a Division III opponent since Sept. 6, 2015 when EC bested Mount Mary 3-2.
It was the team's biggest non-conference win over a D-III opponent and most goals scored since EC's 6-0 win over Averno on Sept. 5, 2015. The six-goal total is tied for seventh most in a single game in program history.
Shines notched only the seventh four-goal game in program history. She became the fifth Red Devil to score four goals and first since Kesli Blankenship's six against Iowa Wesleyan on Oct. 16, 2013. She also recorded the 15th hat trick in program history – and she did it in just one half.
"I was just ready for it," said Shines, who now has 15 goals in her career, putting her fifth in program history. "Everyone was excited to play today, so once I got the first one, I just wanted to keep going."
Shines put away the goal less than five minutes into the match after Daniela Gonzales (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods/Lincoln) won the ball in midfield and laid it off to her for a 1 v. 1 to goal.
Gonzales connected with Shines again on a cross that took a bounce in the six before Shines hammered it home off a half-volley in the 31st minute.
Gonzales' second assist marked the 21st multi-assist game in program history and the first since Faith Williams' pair against Iowa Wesleyan on Oct. 16, 2013.
The goal that gave Shines the hat trick came just a few minutes later when Hope Binder (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone) found Kayla Enochs (Greenfield, Ind./Central Greenfield) in the midfield 35 yards out. Enochs sent it up to Shines, who took a touch around a defender at the top of the 18 and passed it into the right-side netting.
That gave EC a 3-0 lead at the half. Shines struck again just three minutes into the second half, taking the ball off the foot of a defender in the back line and calmly putting it in the back of the net.
With just over 10 to play in the second half, Gonzales delivered her first goal as a Red Devils on a beautiful one-time bomb from outside the left corner of the 18. A missed clearance went right to the junior transfer, who stepped up and chipped a knuckler into the opposite side netting.
The Red Devils' final goal of the match was courtesy of Lindsey Johnston (Evansville, Ind./Harrison), who ripped one from 34 yards out and watched it sail into the upper 90 with relief. She notched 14 of the team's 30 shots on the day. All told, it was the most shot the Red Devils have launched since the 2015 win over Mount Mary.
The win came after two grueling overtime losses to Alverno and Rockford, respectively. Shines said that the extra minutes have taken their toll, but they have also helped build team confidence, even in defeat.
"I knew we had it in us," Shines said. "No matter how tired we are, we can still do our thing. We just have to keep pushing harder the last couple of minutes."
The Red Devils are now 1-2 heading into St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. On Wednesday, they'll take on Blackburn at 3 p.m. They're only a few different bounces away from being 3-0.
"I knew from the first practice that we were way better from freshman year or even sophomore year," Shines said. "Everyone just clicks together."
