SALEM, Ore. – Stephanie Skelly scored half of Willamette University's four goals and the Bearcats broke open a close contest with three goals in the second half en route to a 4-0 victory over the visiting George Fox University Bruins in Northwest Conference women's soccer action Sunday afternoon here at Sparks Field.

The first half was a defensive struggle as Willamette managed just five first-half shots, three on goal, and George Fox took two shots, none on target.  The Bearcats finally broke through, however, when Skelly scored 20 seconds before the end of the period on a shot from 14 yards out that hit the crossbar and angled into the middle of the net. 

Shannon Scott gave the Bearcats some insurance at 56:50 in the second half when she blasted a free kick from 25 yards out into the upper left corner for her first goal of the season.  Skelly's second score of the game and sixth of the season came at 69:07 from nine yards out from the right side of the box inside the near post.  Sarah Desautels closed out the Willamette scoring when she took a pass from Malia Simpson and sent it between the posts from nine yards away past a charging Lyndsee Landon, the Bruins' backup keeper, for her third goal of the season.

Willamette finished with 13 total shots and eight on goal, while the Bearcat defense limited the Bruins to six shots in all, half by Sadi Stouder, and two on goal, both in the second half.  Gina Barbieri had two saves in goal for the 'Cats to earn the shutout, while starting George Fox goalie Alyssa Montero had three saves in 82 minutes and Landon stopped one in eight minutes of relief.

NEXT: George Fox (1-6-3, NWC 1-4-1) returns home to host Lewis & Clark College in a conference encounter Saturday at 12:00 noon on Homecoming Weekend.  The women's game will be followed at 2:30 p.m. by an NWC men's match between George Fox and Pacific University … Willamette (5-4-1, NWC 4-1-1) begins its eastern Washington swing at Whitman College on Saturday at 12:00 noon, followed by the men's game at 2:30 p.m.