The UNI soccer team has been a force to be reckoned with as the 2018 season rolls along.

With a record of 5-5-2, the Panthers have been a balanced team as they’ve looked to pick up more wins this season. 

The Panthers opened Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play at 0-2, following a loss from the Missouri State Bears by a narrow score of 1-0. The lone goal came from Kennady Orlick in the 24th minute, her fifth goal of the season. 

The Bears are not new to tough defense and outlasting competition, as they are the reigning MVC tournament champions. 

UNI fell to Missouri State in the championship game last season by a similar score of 1-0 in their first ever trip to the title game.

Junior Kelsey Yarrow led the Panther offense with six shots, five of them on goal. Goaltender Kaitlin Maxwell recorded ten saves in the matchup for UNI. Just one minute prior to Orlick’s goal in the 24th minute, Olina Einarsdottir was handed a yellow card. The Panthers led the Bears in shots at 14-8, while Missouri State led in saves 10-5. 

After the close loss, the Panthers rebounded and went on to record their fifth shut-out of the season against Viterbo. The Panthers dominated the Hawks with a final score of 10-0. 

Yarrow recorded her third goal of the year in just the second minute of the match. 

Viterbo goaltender Abby Breitbach mistakenly knocked the ball into her team’s own net in the 11th minute to put the Panthers up 2-0 within the first 15 minutes of the matchup. 

UNI took advantage of the early lead and many Panthers went on to have their share of scores. Sophomore forward Sydney Hayden recorded her second goal of the season in the 21st minute. 

The remaining six Panther goals were firsts for many players this season. Jamie Althiser put the next two balls in the net board before half. Izzy LaFollette would score in the 78th minute off a pass from Elyse Reagan. 

LaFollette and Clare Schooley would team up in the 82nd minute, assisting Johnnie Hill with the score. Reagan would record her second assist of the season in the 89th minute, as Emma Rottinghaus would score the final Panther goal to cap the offensive-dominated day. The ten goal performance by the Panthers shatters the school record of most goals in a game with six.

UNI looks to continue Missouri Valley Conference play on Oct. 5 as they travel to Evansville, Indiana, in hopes of continuing dominance by recording their sixth shutout of the season against the Purple Aces.