NEWBERG, Ore. --- The George Fox women's soccer team controlled possession from the opening kick and used a powerful offensive attack for a decisive 3-0 win over the visiting Whitman Blues on Saturday.

How It Happened 
George Fox bombarded Blues goalie Hannah Lynch with shot after shot from the get-go. Five minutes into the game, junior forward Maggie Phillips fired off a shot that just rolled right of the post. Four minutes later, Phillips blasted another shot, one that was barely saved by Lynch.

The Bruins fired off eight shots before the Blues were able to get their first. The women were finally able to strike gold in the 14th minute after freshman midfielder Taylor Ho scored her team-leading third goal of the season. Ho recovered her own deflected shot and put it past Lynch to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.

Maggie Choate and Claire Wright connected on the goal of the season in the 42nd minute when Choate perfectly lobbed a pass from 25 yards out. Wright was in prime position and rewarded Choate's precision with a spectacular header that gave the hometown Bruins a 2-0 lead.

After the halftime break, the Bruins would continue to dominate both sides of the ball. George Fox would go on to outshoot Whitman 29-4 in the game; 15 of the Bruins' 29 shots were on goal. The final goal of the game sent the Bruin bench into hysterics as freshman forward Lizzy Merkel, who had checked into the game only a few minutes earlier, scored thanks to a failed clear attempt. 

Top Performers
Head coach Laura Schott commended the defensive presence of her Bruin squad. Schott pointed to sophomore Willa Evans and senior Amy Hatter as the standout performances. Evans controlled the Bruins' end of the field, often ending Whitman's chances prematurely with a thunderous foot. Hatter commanded the middle of the field and made sure the Blues' transition opportunities were fruitless.

Offensively, Taylor Ho scored a goal in her third consecutive game and recorded three other shots as well. Madison Burch had two shots, both on goal, and Claire Wright had one goal and two other shots on goal. Choate, who had the highlight-worthy assist to Wright in the 42nd, also had a shot on goal that nearly clipped the crossbar.

Coach's Thoughts
"We had some really good performances by a lot of players," said Schott. "It's always nice to get a solid win with a shutout."

On the second goal: "That was awesome. M.C. can hit that ball. She turned, she saw it and Claire did a good job to widen out her run and did a great job finishing, which is something she does well.

What It Means
The Bruins won their second straight Northwest Conference game and improved to 4-1 in conference play, with a 6-3 overall record. Through the first five games of the NWC schedule, the Bruins have outscored opponents 11-2.

Up Next
The Bruins conclude their four-game homestand on Sunday when they take on the Whitworth Pirates at Austin Sports Complex. The match is scheduled to start at noon.