The No. 15-ranked Ashland University women's soccer team maintained its position in first place in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference standings on Thursday (Oct. 23), topping Walsh at Ferguson Field by a 3-0 count.
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Thanks to a ninth win in the last 11 games (9-0-2), the Eagles improve to 10-2-2 overall and 8-0-2 in the Great Midwest. Ashland is four points ahead of second-place Findlay through early Thursday league action, and this marks the 12
th consecutive non-COVID 19-pandemic season in which AU has won at least 10 games.
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"We won both halves," said Ashland head coach
Cayleb Paulino. "I think we wanted to challenge them to get to two (goals), and I thought if we got to two, we'd be pretty comfortable to get another goal after that."
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The Cavaliers are 4-7-3, 3-6-2.
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In the 23
rd minute, senior forward
Dani Hicks, adding to one of the top totals in both goals and points in NCAA Division II, scored her team-leading 10
th goal of the fall. Senior midfielder
Emily Pate, the reigning Great Midwest offensive Athlete of the Week, picked up her second assist.
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Then, inside of two minutes into the second half, freshman forward
Tessa Blain potted her fourth goal of the season after fighting for the ball with a Cavalier defender in front of the net.
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Hicks posted her brace in the 52
nd minute – for her 11
th goal and 29 points on the year – on a helper from freshman forwardÂ
Cece Craig. It was Craig's second assist of 2025.
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Of Hicks and Blain working together up front, Paulino said, "We've really been trying to build the partnership this week, and them trying to play together. You saw the benefit of them working together this week and finding combination play to get it in the back of the net."
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TEAMING UP FOR THE CLEAN SHEET
- The Eagle defense recorded its eighth shutout of 2025, as fifth-year goalkeeper Jaya Daniel (four saves), back from injury, and senior goalkeeper Sarah Watson (one save) combined for the clean sheet.
- "For her (Jaya), a little bit unfortunate with the injury last week. She responded well, had a good week of training this week," Paulino said. "And Sarah has been pushing the envelope in the training environment, so we wanted to reward her with some minutes tonight."
- Ashland out-shot Walsh by a 22-6 count, and the Eagles, tops in D-II in corner kicks per game, had 11 to the Cavaliers' three.
NEXT UP
A conference road game on Saturday (Oct. 25) at noon at Ursuline (4-8-1, 2-7-1).
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