ATHENS, TN. – Tennessee Wesleyan overwhelmed Bryan College 6-1 on Tuesday in a decisive Appalachian Athletic Conference matchup at Tennessee Wesleyan's home field.
The Lady Bulldogs (11-2-0, 10-2-0 AAC) controlled the match from start to finish, outshooting the Lady Lions (3-12-1, 2-10-0 AAC) 30-3 and putting constant pressure on Bryan goalkeeper
Ava Hooks, who faced a barrage of shots throughout the 90 minutes.
Lisa Kirwan led Tennessee Wesleyan's offensive assault with two goals and an assist, opening the scoring just over four minutes into the match with help from Marta Hernán. The Lady Bulldogs never looked back, adding five more goals to build a commanding lead.
Addison Smith also recorded a brace for the hosts, finding the back of the net in the 8th and 16th minutes. Smith was relentless in her attack, recording eight shots on the afternoon. Stina Braun and Jewel Hamilton rounded out the Tennessee Wesleyan scoring.
Bryan College struggled to generate offensive opportunities, managing just three total shots compared to Tennessee Wesleyan's 30. The Lady Lions did find a bright spot in the 61st minute when
Katie Ryan scored unassisted to break up the shutout bid and give Bryan its lone goal of the contest.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, Hooks kept Bryan in the match as long as possible, making nine saves against the relentless Tennessee Wesleyan attack. Ana Martinez earned the win in goal for the Lady Bulldogs, playing the first 45 minutes before giving way to Marlin Beltran in the second half.
The match was physical at times, with both teams combining for 11 fouls. Yellow cards were issued to Bryan's Dylan Belk and Tennessee Wesleyan's Kirwan in the 58th minute.
Tennessee Wesleyan also dominated possession and field position, earning seven corner kicks while Bryan failed to generate any. The Lady Bulldogs' corner kick opportunities led to several dangerous chances, including Hamilton's goal in the 43rd minute off a Rosie Dunkerton assist.
The victory keeps Tennessee Wesleyan in strong position in the AAC standings as the regular season winds down. Bryan College, meanwhile, continues to search for answers as they look to finish the season on a positive note.
