KENT, Ohio- The Kent State women's soccer team (1-0) defeated Western Illinois (0-1), 3-0, on Friday afternoon at Zoeller Field to open up the 2014 season.   

"It was a wonderful way to start the season," said Head Coach Roberto Marinaro.  "I thought everyone played well , but we still have improvements to make on the field."

Sophomore Abbie Lawson (Stow, Ohio) tallied the first goal of her career 35 minutes into the game when she put one into the corner of the net past Western Illinois keeper Victoria Kappel.   Senior midfielder Calli Rinicella (Solon, Ohio) was credited with the assist. 

Not long after, rookie Hayden Pascoe (Verona, Pa.) checked into the game and tallied her first goal at the 38:11 mark to give the Golden Flashes a 2-0 lead. Rinicella beat her defender in the box and passed it over to Pascoe who tapped it in past Kappel. 

The Golden Flashes headed into intermission with a 12-5 lead in shots, but were edged in corner kicks, 4-2. 

Kent State came out of the gates firing, and tacked on another goal in the 51^st minute minute.  This time it was rookie Kristen Brots (Naperville, Ill.), who drove the ball into the net from 12 yards out on an assist from sophomore Jenna Hellstrom (Sudbury, Ontario) and senior Stephanie Haugh (Richmond Hill, Ontario) to take a 3-0 lead. 

Kent State finished the game with a 20-12 lead in shots, but the Leathernecks still won the corner kick battle, 5-3. 

Junior Stephanie Senn (Grand Island, N.Y.) earned the win in goal and posted her first shutout.  Western Illinois' Kappel dropped to 0-1 and sent away eight Kent State shots.

The Golden Flashes are back in action against St. Bonaventure at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 24 in Olean, N.Y.

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