A pair of second-half goals made the difference as Hatters women's soccer defeated Alabama State, 2-0, Sunday afternoon at the ASU Soccer Complex.
 
"I thought we were committed from the start as a team to execute the game plan," head coach Chris Bergmann said, "It's always tough to win on the road, adjusting to different situations and field types, so I'm proud of the resolve the team had. We created quite a few offensive opportunities and started finishing those chances. It was great to see the team moving forward collectively."
 
After a roughly statistical even first half, the Hatters took control in the second frame. To go along with the two goals scored to nil, the Hatters out shot the Hornets 16-1 while allowing ASU no shots on goal; Stetson put nine of its 16 on target. The corner kick count was four to the visitors, none for the home side.
 
"We had to just make a tactical adjustment," Bergmann said about halftime changes. "That field was a long type of grass, and we had to play more to our strengths, and we found some areas where we knew we could ultimately capitalize on. The team stuck with it and executed to create offense in the second half."
 
At the 63:21 mark, the Hatters broke though as Chloe Washington notched the first goal of the match giving Stetson the 1-nothing advantage.
 
"We just knew we had to come out and fight for each other," Washington said "It was one thing we had been discussing as a team before the game. It felt like it just clicked when we did It."
 
Seventeen minutes and 10 seconds later, Jillian Therrien iced the match with a goal that doubled the margin [2-0] with 9:29 remaining in the contest.
 
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Sarah Grimmett picked up her second win of the season, both of which were clean sheets. Stetson's defense allowed their second fewest shot attempts this season (9) and fewest shots on goal (2). The pair of saves adds to Grimmett's ASUN conference-leading total of 33, entering the contest.
 
"It was definitely a collective win," Grimmett said "I am really proud of our team dealing with the adversity of a couple losses in the first half of the season. I believe this Is going to be a good transition into the rest of the season. [Right Center Back] Kyleigh Thelen really stepped up in defense and really helped with the shutout. She brought a lot of tactical skill in defending."
 
Hatter women's soccer returns to action Thursday night with The Citadel making the trip to the Athletic Training Center. Kickoff Is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
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.