Photo Courtesy: Caylee Porter/MMC Athletics

PULASKI, Tenn. – The Martin Methodist Women's Soccer team scored five goals in the first half and added four more in the second en route to a 9-1 victory versus LSU-Shreveport (La.) in the 2018 NAIA Women's Soccer Championship Opening Round at Grissom Pitch Saturday afternoon.

Five different players found the back of the net for the RedHawks (19-1-1), who punched their ticket to the final site of the 2018 NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship, presented by The Wharf, in Orange Beach, Alabama.

The RedHawks seized control of the contest early when freshman forward Natsuna Sugishita blasted home a shot in the 12th minute. The freshman racked up another tally just three minutes later to put the home side ahead by a two-goal margin.

The RedHawks were far from done scoring in the first half, however, as Ashlyn Wiggins converted a 21st-minute penalty kick and Miku Sunaga added a 22nd-minute goal. Millene Cabral capped the first-half scoring with a 34th-minute penalty kick to put the RedHawks ahead 5-0 at halftime.

Despite trailing by a wide margin, the Pilots (13-5-2) answered back with a goal themselves in the second half, when Carolina Martins-Gomes bagged a 62nd-minute goal.

But that's when the RedHawks notched a flurry of goals – three in the next four minutes – to put the game to bed.

Cabral, Sunaga and freshman forward Mackenzie Stroebel all bagged goals in the 66th, 69th and 70th minutes, respectively. Stroebel would add a final tally in the 74th minute to cap the scoring.

A total of 21 players saw time for the RedHawks in the lopsided victory.

The eight-goal margin matches the largest margin of victory in an Opening Round contest in RedHawk history, dating back to an 8-0 victory versus Cincinnati Christian (Ohio) on Nov. 20, 2010.

The win also marks the sixth straight final site appearance for the RedHawks, who improved to 10-1 all-time in Opening Round contests, since the format was adopted back in 2008.

With the win, the RedHawks will meet either Science & Arts (Okla.) or Midlands (Neb.) in the Round of 16 matchup on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at 4 p.m.

​