PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- For the first time in well over a month, the Portsmouth area and surrounding Tri-State region was hit with two separate downpours and a cluster of thunderstorms that rolled through the area.
However, the only thing that poured down harder than the raindrops that hit the Shawnee Turf field were the shot conversions that ripped through the net for the Bears in its nonconference affair against Union Commonwealth (Ky.).
Not even a pregame shower or an hour-and-45-minute lightning delay could match the effectiveness of Joe McCauley's group Wednesday evening, as Shawnee State got goals in back-to-back minutes from
Haynna Addy and added in two more first-half conversions off of corner kicks as
Annie Coriell and
Anna Sas each scored in the 26th and 37th minutes to take a commanding 4-0 halftime advantage.
From there,
Lucie Ashkettle's 53rd minute goal officially put the Bears on cruise control -- as Shawnee State defeated Union Commonwealth by a 5-0 margin in the largest margin of victory over McCauley's first 19 matches as head coach for SSU Wednesday evening at Shawnee Turf in Portsmouth.
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GAME SUMMARY
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While Union Commonwealth finished with more shots for the contest -- 16 shots and nine on goal for the Bulldogs compared to 14 shots and nine on frame for Shawnee State -- Union posted a 9-5 advantage on shots in the second half after Shawnee State let off of the gas and began emptying the bench in the second half.
Shawnee State sophomore goalkeeper
Harlee Brand enjoyed one of the best performances of her young career Wednesday, stopping all nine shots that the sophomore faced en route to her fourth career clean sheet. Those nine stops were the most saves that Brand has made in any one of her four career shutouts.
The win was not only the largest margin of victory for McCauley in his first 19 matches as head coach at Shawnee State, but also proved to be the most goals scored in the 19 matches under the Louisville, Ky. native's direction so far.
Addy adds to career goals total
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Causing difficulties for Union Commonwealth's backline immediately with her pure speed, Shawnee State fifth-year player
Haynna Addy made the Bulldogs pay with two early conversions in the seventh and eighth minutes to get the Bears off and running.
Addy, who scored career goals No. 16 and No. 17 in the match, scored in the seventh minute on a ball directed to the far side of the field that Addy, who ran it down, launched with a wide arc into the back of the net. In the eighth minute, Addy finished off a run successfully as the beneficiary of excellent ball movement, as
Robyn Drinkwater shuffled a pass from the middle of the field off to the near side to a charging
Lucie Ashkettle, who moved up the edge of the box before directing a ball across the box to Addy. The latter then fired the well-placed pass by Ashkettle straight into the left corner of the net, giving Shawnee State a 2-0 advantage through eight minutes of work.
Addy now has 36 career points (17 goals, two assists) at Shawnee State as the Chillicothe native continues to produce at a high level.
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Bears heat up following lightning delay
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Despite the ultimate lightning delay that would take place in the ninth minute and proceed to halt play for an hour and 45 minutes, Shawnee State showed no rust in its return to play.
In the 26th minute, Shawnee State struck again as the Bears, moving up the near side of the field, got an opportunity on a corner kick. This time, Drinkwater placed a ball perfectly toward the back corner of the net, where a waiting
Annie Coriell headed it in to score her second goal of 2025 and the eighth of her career. Drinkwater, meanwhile, is already up to seven career goals and seven assists for a total of 21 points.
Shawnee State wasn't finished. Just 11 minutes later, Ashkettle ran down a ball on the near side corner, and used her powerful leg to loft a ball for
Anna Sas on the backside, which Sas finished off for the latter's first career goal at SSU -- putting the Bears lead at a 4-0 halftime mark.
Just eight minutes into the second half, Ashkettle appropriately put the finishing touches on the contest. Fighting for possession toward the near side of the box again, Ashkettle took matters into her own hands in recording her second goal of the 2025 season, and the 11th of her career, to cap off the scoring. Ashkettle's earlier assists also put the junior up to six for her career, giving the forward 28 career points as well.
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ADDITIONAL
