DELAND, Fla. – Women's soccer scored three unanswered second-half goals en route to a 3-1 victory over Austin Peay Thursday night at the Athletic Training Center. It was the first time the Hatters and ASUN newcomers AP have played.
 
"It's one game at a time," head coach Chris Bergmann said "and ultimately, we know the potential to score is there. It was great to execute the game plan 'we said it was right there and you just have to stay with it' and you can see with Maggie [Struble] and Chloe [Washington] they found great opportunities. Great set piece goal, which we knew was going to be awesome, but there was always going to be pockets of space to exploit that happened specifically in the run of play and great to see the team buy in it."
 
After neither team could really control the run of play, Austin Peay jumped on the board first. Through planning and bad luck, AP found an area they could exploit with the absence of six-foot centerback Sydney McKee. The Governors earned a corner kick, Clara Heisterman sent in an in-swinger with her right foot and six-foot centerback Lindsey McMahon got separation from a defender, got a free run and just put her head through the cross and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it from hitting the back of the net.
 
Stetson was stunned with the momentum change but regrouped and started working back into the match, but the score remained the same through the halftime break.
 
"We can't do it without doing it together," Bergmann said about the team coming together. "Today, even when going down [a goal] it was collective effort and moving forward. The attacking mindset was great and you knew they [goal-scoring opportunities and goals scored] were going to come."
 
The second half started, and the Hatters pressed with renewed vigor and intensity. More focus, harder pressing, a higher standard of playing and better team play immediately disrupted Austin Peay as the Hatters started gaining momentum and forcing the issue.
 
"It was three things," Bergmann said about adjusting at halftime "One, maintain the shape we were talking about. In the first half, they [the players] were changing it and we said no, the opportunity is still there, maintain the shape. Number two, we have to press them a bit more and not allow them to have as much space. Three, fight harder offensively and defensively in set pieces.  They're good at set pieces and we were able to stop them in the second half and able to exploit them."
 
Three minutes 46 seconds into the frame, the Hatters found the equalizer. Stetson was forcing an attack down the right channel with AP attempt to clear and reclaim the ball. Eventually the ball went over the end line for a throw in. Sophomore forward converted right back Lea Alexander surveryed the situation before throwing the ball toward the 18-yard box with senior forward Maggie Strubble turning off a defender and chasing down the loose ball, three touches later, Strubble looked like a premier league defender slide tackling, but solidly connecting with the ball sending it careening toward net and into the upper left 90, tying the match at one.
 
"It's a really big win," Gaby Padilla said "We really needed it. It definitely bumped us up on the table. Before the game we spoke about how Austin Peay was going to be a strong team in the air and on the ground. They were going to try to throw us off of our game by being physical. As a team, we realized as long as we win our battles in the air and on the ground we can win this game."
 
Seven minutes 16 seconds following that, Struble struck again. After an AP attack culminated into a Hatter goal kick from junior goalkeeper Ashleigh Wise, junior defender Anna Brethauer [playing centerback instead of central defensive midfielder] flipped the ball forward off the top of her head toward midfield. The second ball landed for junior midfielder Padilla as her and an AP defender jockeyed for the battle in a physical, and fair, battle trying to gain the advantage. Neither player really controlled the situation, but Padilla did enough to knock the ball away from both and up field for Struble. Struble used Padilla's pass to outwit the marking defender and turned to run onto the ball at almost full stride when starting the dribble.  Strubble pressed the attack as it was a one-v-one with the goalkeeper behind the lone defender. With a shoulder fake, the shifty senior made a crossover move similar to what you would see on a basketball court and with the move created enough space to smash a low line-drive shot past Governor goalkeeper Chloe Dion [2-1].
 
The Hatters were disciplined in attack following taking the lead, not pressing with numbers, but coming forward enough to styme the AP attack. In the 81st minute junior forward Chloe Washington put the match on ice, with a third Hatter goal [3-1]. The culmination of a great offensive series with sophomore midfielder Peyton Massie and Padilla both notching an assist on the play.
 
Stetson saw out the final minutes with a lot of prevented chances and saves from Wise.
 
"This game means a lot to us," Wise said after the game "Going forward we have three very competitive teams we'll be playing against and I am hoping this brings that fight in our team for the last three games so we can move on to the tournament.
 
There were a plethora of great performances on the night, but some notables was today was Struble's one-year anniversary from surgery. Multiple teammates brought up that fact postgame and the importance of her performance on the day. Wise shattered her previous career high of seven saves with 12 on the night. Freshman defender Avery Wise, sister of GK Wise, played a pivotal role in defense as a left back keeping control of the Governors attack. Sophomore forward Georgia Place and freshman midfielder Alexis Smith both tallied over 30 minutes on the pitch coming off the bench with Place being the top of the attack and putting immediate pressure on the AP backline. Smith's midfield role saw her trying to be part of the defense-to-offense transition game, contain the visitors offense and transitioning to Hatter attacking play.
 
"We knew this team was a very direct team and a good team, we can't underestimate anyone," Wise said about the Governors' offensive prowess that led to her career-night in goal. "I think we were trying to always be prepared, specifically we were prepared for shooting, direct balls and everything they could do."
 
The difficult ramps up as last year's ASUN Champion and perennial ASUN power Lipscomb comes to DeLand Sunday with a 1 p.m. kickoff.
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS. Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics and, for live events, Hatter Vision.