LATROBE, Pa. – The Saint Vincent women's soccer team extended its winning streak to three matches with a 3-0 home win over Thiel in each team's 2021 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) opener.
 
After playing to a scoreless first half, the Bearcats (4-4, 1-0 PAC) scored three times in the first 20 minutes of the second frame to pull away from the Tomcats (3-3, 0-1 PAC).
 
Though they were unable to find the back of the net, the Bearcats controlled play throughout the first half, putting together a number of long, sustained possessions in their offensive third. Saint Vincent out-shot Thiel 9-1 over the half, with Hannah Irvine, Bella Ely and Kylie Albertson each putting shots on target.
 
The Bearcats maintained the momentum coming out of the intermission and scored the game's first goal three minutes into the second half. Jessica Persin corralled the ball on the sideline at midfield and sent a lead pass to Morgan Klingeman, who quickly received it and touched it through traffic. Irvine met the ball on the run and directed it into the cage from just inside the 8-yard box to give SVC a 1-0 lead.
 
Saint Vincent wasted little time adding on to the lead. In the 57th minute, they were awarded a corner kick, which was sent by Irvine right onto the doorstep. After a quick deflection off of a Thiel defender, it went right to the waiting foot of Tanisha Grewal, who blasted it home to make it 2-0.
 
The Bearcats continued the offensive pressure, and five minutes later, Persin dribbled toward the end line and sent a pass into the box. Grewal promptly settled it, made a quick move and drilled her second goal of the game, and PAC-leading 11th of the season, to up the lead to 3-0 with 27 minutes left to play.
 
Over the final stages of the second half, Thiel upped its offensive pressure, tallying the game's final four shots, but the Bearcat defense held to preserve the 3-goal lead and seal the 3-game winning streak.
 
Saint Vincent ended the afternoon with a 16-6 advantage in shots and took six of the game's seven corners.
 
The Bearcats' Kendall Castor played all 90 minutes in goal to earn her second clean sheet of the season.
 
The Bearcats will return to action on Sunday, Oct. 3, when they celebrate Senior Day with a 1 p.m. matchup against PAC foe Chatham University on the UPMC Field turf.