Mishawaka, Ind. - The Marian women's soccer team earned their first Crossroads League win of the 2021 season Saturday afternoon, taking down Bethel 7-3 in a high-scoring contest. Marian had four different goal scorers in the win, as they improve to 9-2-1 overall this season. The Knights stand at 1-1-1 in league play after the opening week of the season. 

Bethel wasted no time getting the scoring started, finding a goal from Esther Karhayu in the second minute of the match to catch Alexis Patenaude off guard. Marian responded right away by pressing the offensive zone to earn a pair of corner kicks after the restart, and minutes later their offense connected for a score. Allie Schlom tied the game as the clock ticked into the 10th minute, collecting a pass from Erin Oleksak to tie the score 1-1. 

Possession raced up and down the field as both teams aimed to get a go-ahead goal, as both Patenaude and Corryn Berlin were called on to make saves for their teams. After a Gretchen Mallin shot was smothered, Bethel found an offensive rhythm with Karhayu breaking the tie in the 28th minute, as she scored off a Marah Franke pass to go on top 2-1. The Knights again attacked to answer the goal, and two minutes later tied the game with Madison Hill scoring off a pass from Schlom. Marian ended the half with the lead, as Oleksak scored with three minutes left in the half on an assist from Ryli John.

Oleksak's goal gave Marian a 3-2 lead at halftime, with both team's playing even throughout the period. Both the Knights and Pilots had five shots at break, with each keeper making a pair of saves. 

Like they did in the first half, Bethel scored quickly off the opening kick tying the game 2:24 into the second half. Karhayu completed a hat trick in the process of tying the game, again scoring off a pass from Franke. With the game knotted 3-3, Marian found an answer in the 53rd minute from Jacelyn Smith as the striker buried her lone shot on goal of the game to push the Knights ahead 4-3. With a lead secured, Mairan aimed to stay in front as they began to dominate possession.

In the 60th minute the Knights found their insurance goal from Oleksak, as the junior scored off a feed from Smith to go on top 5-3. Four minutes later, Oleksak completed the hat trick with an unassisted goal, pushing Marian ahead 6-3. With a commanding lead at hand, the Knights were able to control possession for a strong portion of the final 27 mintues, allowing zero shots after Oleksak's third goal. Hill completed the scoring in the game with an olimpico in the 85th minute, sealing Marian's 7-3 win. 

Oleksak led Marian in scoring and shots, seeing each of her three shots go to the back of the net to record her second hat trick of the season. Hill also scored on both of her shots on goal to record the brace. Smith scored the game-winning goal and had one asist, while Schlom also scored and assisted on a goal. In net, Patenaude made two saves to earn the win in net. 

Marian will travel to St. Francis next Saturday night to play the Cougars at 7 PM. 

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