BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C.— After 17 days away from home, the Montreat women's soccer team finally returned to Pulliam Stadium on Saturday and defeated the Johnson University-Tennessee Royals handily, 7-1. With the win, the Cavaliers improved to 11-2 overall and 10-2 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play, recording their 10^th conference win in a single season for the first time since at least 2004.
 
Isabel Aguilar opened the scoring in the seventh minute of play. Off an intelligent give-and-go play with Jackie Montes, Aguilar took a Montes feed just inside the left edge of the Johnson (3-11-1, 1-10-1 AAC) 18-yard box. With one defender to beat, Aguilar took a slight touch to her right and blasted a shot in between the Royals goalkeeper and the left post.
 
The Cavaliers second goal didn't come until the 32^nd minute, but when it did, it was well worth the wait. Aguilar played Kaitlyn Adams into open space on the right side of the attacking third. The first charging Johnson defender slipped as Adams dribbled into the box, while Adams simply cut back centrally in the box to beat the auxiliary defender. Off a deft touch, Adams snuck a shot past Johnson's goalkeeper and into the net.
 
"The overall performance of the team was great," Adams said. "We all worked together to get the win, and it was great seeing some of my teammates step up and work to put the ball in the back of the net. Personally, being a senior, we couldn't have asked for a better game or night."
 
Leading 2-0 at halftime, the Cavaliers exploded for five additional goals in the second half. Montes opened the second-half offensive explosion just 71 seconds into the period. Drawing a defender in along the end line, Montes dribbled into the box. Lulling her defender to sleep, she quickly cut in from the initial defender and away from the help. One-on-one with the keeper, Montes coolly slotted home a left-footed strike to put Montreat ahead 3-0.
 
In the 61^st minute, Marissa Murray tallied her first goal of the 2021 campaign. Hayden Bunn won possession in the midfield and dribbled all the way to the top of the 18-yard box where Bunn blasted a shot directly into a defender. The shot fortuitously deflected to the feet of Murray, who took a clinical strike from roughly 12 yards out, tucking it just inside the right post for the goal.
 
Teigan Eicher's corner kick spurred the sequence that led to Montreat's fifth goal. Bouncing through the box, the ball made its way to Maria Camilo. A quick touch from Camilo redirected the loose ball to Adams who, in space from roughly eight yards out, settled the bouncing ball and guided it into the net for a brace and a 5-0 Cavalier lead.
 
Lauren Hasty's first career goal helped extend Montreat's lead to 6-0 in the 79^th minute. Ivana Munoz played Sofia Brotherton into open space on the right side of the attacking third. Brotherton continued her run until the defense started to close in inside the penalty area. With Hasty to her left, Brotherton laid off a rolling pass. Directly in front of net, Hasty tapped in the Brotherton assist for her first career tally.
 
To cap off her Senior Day, Eicher added her first goal of the season and second of her Montreat career. Like many of her teammates, it involved a spectacular individual effort. Winning possession near midfield, Eicher dribbled through traffic all the way to the top of the JU 18-yard box. Then, Eicher quickly dumped off a pass to Brotherton, who immediately played Eicher into the box. From there, Eicher did the rest, slotting the ball home inside the near post to close out the match, 7-0.
 
"I think that we did a great job celebrating and playing for each other tonight," Eicher said. "It was a special moment being able to score on senior night. Our team does a great job keeping up the intensity that we start with. We are a unit, and we stick together."
 
The Cavaliers dominated the contest in nearly every statistical category, including total shots (31-6), shots on goal (19-2) and corner kicks (13-0).
 
"Tonight was about honoring and celebrating our six seniors," said head coach Kristin Eggert. "We are thankful for all they have contributed to Montreat women's soccer, and we showed that with our performance today."
 
Montreat women's soccer hosts its final home match of the regular season on Wednesday against Reinhardt University. Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. in Black Mountain, N.C.